ON THE ARROW
by Through the Mirror Darkly
Summary: "I am a mother looking for justice for her son." Elizabeth Webber takes matters into her own hands to get Jake justice and punish those behind the accident. But her quest turns into more than just mere vengeance, it turns into a crusade to right the wrongs in Port Charles one arrow at a time. (ON HIATUS)
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing from General Hospital. This is for amusement only.

 **Summary:** "I am a mother looking for justice for her son." Elizabeth Webber takes matters into her own hands to get Jake justice and punish those behind the accident.

 **Timeline:** Set right after Jake's accident.

 **Things You Need to Know:** This is very AU. There are things that I have changed about the history because one I did not like them, or I don't have time to address them in the story that I have set up. The Niz affair did happened, but Liz wasn't engaged or dating Lucky. Lucky still felt betrayed, and still treats Liz horrible. There was no pregnancy storyline that followed. Liz didn't try to get back with either Lucky or Nic, but has been single and happy with her boys, Jake and Cameron. Rest of history is as follows.

 **Pairings:** Elizabeth/Unknown, Nicolas/Britt. Other pairings to be determined.

 **Inspiration:** The movie "Lila and Eve" really caught my attention and after watching it the trailer a few times. The lines that caught me were, "We are mothers, and when the worst happens we lose our minds and sometimes, our lives. Get to acceptance, so you can get on with your lives." I realized that this situation mirrored Elizabeth in many ways except one. Liz never really got justice for Jake. It was a whole cop out with Luke being the driver and I felt that there could been so much more to the story. There should have been more to that story than giving Jake's kidneys to Jocelyn and then sweeping him under the rug. The show promised some kind of big change, and so I am providing it. With a little superhero twist on the side to make things spicy.

 **Tags:** Romance, Suspense, Crime, Mystery, Murder, Major Character Deaths, Non-con, Elizabeth Webber, Britt Westbourne, Spinelli, Molly Davis, Jason Morgan, Sam McCall, Lucky Spencer, Carly Jax, Not for Lucky and Sam fans, Likeable Britch, Spinelli is Liz's geeky bf, Jason isn't a lapdog, Well, he is but he grows out of it, Hypocritics will get called out on shit, Superheroes, Lizzie got an upgrade, And friends who don't take shit, The hands of the healer are always the bloodiest, and more.

 **Warning:** This is heavy angst. There will be lighter moments, but this is about a woman driven to the edge that has to matters into her own hands to ensure the safety of her children. If you are looking for happy endings, you aren't going to get them very much here. There might be little to no romance, because I'm not sure if I'm going to pair Liz with anyone. Not even Jason. If you are a Sam fan this is not the fic for you. I'm bringing back the 2007 psycho Sam, so you have been warned. Lucky is getting his, I always hated how they had him act like Liz did him (which admittedly she did), but in the three times that Lucky cheated on Liz, she never treated him the way the writer's wrote him. I see JJ portraying him because he was the one yelling and spewing hate at Elizabeth. Several others will also be getting karma that's coming to them, while others get a bit of redemption and a chance at growth.

 **Crossover: Arrow, more pending**

 **This chapter is inspired by the following songs:**

" **Control" by Halsey**

* * *

 **ON THE ARROW**

 **By ThroughtheMirrorDarkly**

Warning: This chapter contains scenes that may trigger traumatic response. If you are not comfortable with that, then please scroll through.

* * *

 **CHAPTER ONE**

 **June 2011**

Elizabeth felt like she was drowning.

Drowning in grief. Drowning in loss and despair, desperate to stay afloat as the doctors talked to her. They spoke to her with clinical tones, but with the faces of people she trusted more than anything in the world. Patrick. Robin. Steven. All telling her that her little boy-her baby-was brain dead. It felt like a betrayal, a punch to the gut and she felt a scream tear up her throat. Denials upon her tongue, but she choked them back. Oh, how she choked them back.

She simply nodded, tears streaking down her face as she stared at the bed. It was too big for Jake, and only made him look so small. He looked so fragile hooked up to so many machines that were keeping him alive, and she felt some in her heart shatter. Something that she could never get back. She had ordered everyone to leave her and Jake in peace, not even to let Lucky or Jason in the room. She needed time to think, to breathe, to figure out something.

She had paced the floor over and over again. Her mind raced with ideas and things that they could try. She heard of some kind of proactive clinic that was had very successful trials with brain trauma patients. She had glanced over the paper a few months back, and thought about seeing if Jake's case would be one they were willing to take on.

Elizabeth wasn't giving up on Jake. She would fight for her son, even when others thought all was lost. If she had given up at the first time her life had been crushed, she wouldn't have picked herself up out of those bushes. As much as Lucky thought he had helped her heal, he was merely a crutch to help keep her balance. Elizabeth had healed all on her own, but it had taken her years to realize her own strength and worth did not depend on anyone, but herself.

"Oh, Jake, I am sorry," she whispered, brushing her fingertips across his forehead gently. Like he was glass, and one touch would break him. She replayed the night over and over in her head, and she was sure that she locked that door. She could remember hearing the lock click after she twisted, the sound echoed in her ears and she clenched her eyes so tightly shut that she missed person that stepped into the room until a hand landed on her shoulder.

She lifted her head to look at the intruder, and her eyes went wide in horrors. "You," was all she got out before needle stuck deep into her neck. Her mouth opened in a soundless scream.

* * *

 **SIX MONTHS LATER**

Elizabeth Webber stood on the docks, staring out at the Cassadine Island as the waves toppled over each other, and she had a pensive look upon her face. Her hands were shoved into the pocket of her black coat, and dark blue scarf wrapped around her neck protected her a little bit from the bitter chill in the air. It had been six months since she had been in Port Charles. Six months since Jake had been hit by a car, and she had lost her baby boy. Wither her 'disappearance', Lucky had made the decision to donate Jake's kidneys and Elizabeth felt bile rush up the back of her throat. _If Helena Cassadine wasn't already dead,_ Elizabeth thought, her teeth gritted together and angry tears burned her eyes. It had been a harsh six months, but she endured for Cameron's sake and her sanity's sake.

She had left without word, or warning. She did not have the time to deal with the hypocritical Spencers, and Lucky most of all. Even thought Lucky and her had not been together, when he found out that Nicolas and her had summer affair, he had been outraged. He acted like a jealous lover, which he had no right to and publicly went out of his way to verbal attack her. When Lulu had come to the hospital intent on calling her a whore among other things, Liz had put her foot down. Liz had told Lulu that her and Lucky were not together, had not been together since their divorce and he didn't get a say who she dated or otherwise.

That, of course, made her public enemy number one. Sam and Carly came to tell Liz that Jason was not interested in and to stay away. Liz had replied, "Gladly." The two seemed shocked and surprised like they hadn't known what to make of that. When Carly demanded what the hell that meant, Liz informed the blond (with no small amount of glee) that if Jason could go back to Sam after all the things she did, and she explained what Sam did in detail, then he wasn't the man she had thought he was.

Now, Liz wasn't perfect. She wasn't a saint, and she didn't know why people thought she was. Was it because she had been unbelievably broken by that night in the park, and instead of turning angry and bitter, she turned to compassion instead? That even when she did the wrong thing, she tried to do it for the right reasons? She didn't know. She made mistakes and had lied, usually for the right reasons. Not always, but usually. She had dealt with the attacks on her character. She had took the high road, and brushed them off with the grace and dignity that her grandmother taught her to.

Jake being hit by the car had been the last straw.

It had been _senseless_. It had been _avoidable_.

And Elizabeth thought she knew the worse kind of pain the night of her rape, it didn't compare to the pain that comes with losing a child. Closing her eyes, she let out a calming breath and she ran her finger through her shortened hair. Her fingers tightened, and she remembered the feel of her deadbolt between her fingertips. She remembered the sound of the lock sliding into place, and she knew that her door had been locked. She knew it in her heart and soul, but when she even voiced that, no one believed her.

Lucky and Jason had looked at her sadly.

Monica later told her that it had been her fault, after learning Jake was her grandson. Siobhan told her it was sick to use her dead son to get Lucky's sympathy. Sam told her that she could have another child, and Liz felt sick thinking that was the other woman's way of being "comforting". Carly had told her that her connection to Jason was severed forever then had the nerve to ask for Jake's kidney in the same sentence.

Liz felt rage. Bitter and dark rage like nothing she could ever describe again. Like hot coals burning inside of her soul and she didn't know how to let it go. She didn't know how to get past it, and then someone had shown her another way. "The hands of the healer are always the bloodiest," she whispered the mantra that kept her going for the last few months when the hairs on the back of her neck stood up on end. She tilted her head to catch the shadow of someone moving down the stairs towards her, and her muscles coiled tighter, prepared for a fight.

"Elizabeth?" The shocked voice of a Sam McCall echoed into the night.

Elizabeth clenched her fists, and slowly turned to face the happy couple. It wasn't a surprise to see Sam not far from Jason's side. Sam talked a good game, and had some to back up, but she had insecurities when it came to her relationship with Jason. If she even thought for a second she was losing Jason, her true colors showed and she became vindictive and wholly ugly person. There might have been a time Elizabeth believed the other woman had changed, but a recent light had been shed on certain events that proved otherwise.

 _But now is not the time for that,_ she thought, a bit weary. Elizabeth composed her features into an even expression. Neither cold, nor warm. "Sam. Jason," her voice was polite, and her eyebrow arched upward ever so slightly. "Out for a stroll?"

Jason studied, with his sharp gaze. At one time he had know her so well, and had been able to see past the fake smile that she had been keeping up for years. He couldn't see anymore. He had become the Borg that Taggert had always accused him of being, letting himself be strung along by Sonny and Carly. It broke her heart to see him a hollow reflection of the person that he used to be, chipped away by all the strain of the years and tragedies that piled up around him.

Even though there was a notable distance between them, and perhaps there always would be, Elizabeth would always reserve a piece of her heart for Jason. Jason deserved to have a voice in his life instead of letting himself be pulled along by those too used to using him that they forgot he had wants, too. Elizabeth had went out of her way to not use Jason, not wanting to become like the other people in his life. When he paid for Lucky's medical bills and then the money for Jake, Elizabeth knew he did it behind her back because he knew she wouldn't take it.

Elizabeth wondered if she had just accepted help when it was offered so many times before if she would have ever made mistakes like Ric, or Lucky.

"Elizabeth, you're really back?" Jason asked, his voice a faint whisper. He sounded as if he could barely believe she was standing there. He was always so good at hiding his emotions, but to see Elizabeth after six months, he could barely stop himself from reaching out to touch her. To see if she really was real, but Sam's arm wrapped through his kept in place.

"Yeah, I'm back," Elizabeth said, with a nervous laugh and shifting on the balls of her feet. It was as if the universe was mocking her for stepping foot back into Port Charles by them being the first people she ran into.

"Where have you been?" Sam suddenly snapped out of shock, and gave the other brunette a dark look. She couldn't believe that she had to gall to come back to Port Charles after her little runaway stunt that had so many people worried. "Lucky has been worried out of his mind."

Elizabeth's polite demeanor shifted slightly, and her upper lip curled ever so slightly. "Well, Sam, I don't really owe you an explanation seeing how we aren't friend or family, but if you must know…Helena Cassadine kidnapped me," she stated, her voice sharp as if reprimanding a child for doing something they shouldn't have been doing.

Sam caught the tone, if the angry flush that spread across her face was any indication.

"Helena Cassadine had you?" Jason looked alarmed.

"Yes," she said, shortly.

Sam rolled her eyes. "You have to give us more than that Elizabeth. You been missing for months. Why did she take you? What did she want?" She demanded, her dark eyes narrowed. There was something unnervingly different about the other woman, and Sam couldn't put her finger out on it. Sam didn't like that feeling one bit.

Elizabeth didn't bat an eyelash. "She wanted to make my life a living hell, and that's all you need to know. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to my hotel room. I always video chat with Cameron at night," she smiled, thinly. It was just enough to be convincing.

"You know Cameron was with your sister?" Jason frowned. There was something different about Elizabeth. It wasn't the fact she had cut her hair to shoulder length, or the calm border lining cold expression on her face. There were shadows in her eyes, and the light that he had attributed to Elizabeth was no where in sight.

"Yes. I left custody to her so when Helena kidnapped me, I figured that she would come and take him to California. Going to see him was the first thing I did when I was well enough," Elizabeth admitted, her expression twisted with sorrow. She loathed to leave him in California, but agreed with Sarah it was better for him to finish out the school year there before moving him back to Port Charles. It would also give her time to get things settled.

"Well enough?" Sam asked. She didn't want to be stuck around her any longer, and when she got to the penthouse the first number she would be calling is Carly. There was no way that she was going to allow Elizabeth to use this to put her hooks back into Jason. _Why couldn't have Helena done them a favor and killed her?_ Sam thought, her stomach twisting into angry knots.

"Like I said, Helena made my life hell," Elizabeth said, with a roll of her shoulders. There was tension building along her spine, and she could see the cogs in Sam's head spinning like a hamster on a wheel. Going and going, but ultimately going nowhere.

Jason's expression darkened. "Elizabeth, how bad did she hurt you?" He asked, feeling his heart sink into the pit of his stomach. Helena was worse than some of the mob boss that he and Sonny dealt with on a daily bases.

"Jason, I appreciate the concern, but I am better now. I'm strong. Stronger than I have been in a long time. I don't need someone to save me, or for someone to help pick me up out of the snow. I've got that all covered," she told him, and watched several emotions flicker across his face before she managed another smile. "You two enjoy your walk."

And she walked away from them without another word.

* * *

Mayor Floyd was finishing up paper work in his office. Anything to keep from going home to his angry wife who was not happy at all when he had a brief affair with Alexis Davis back in 2006 after his other mistress was found dead. He could see his days as Mayor of Port Charles swiftly coming to an end. "Marie," he pressed a button on his intercom attached to his secretaries desk, "can you bring me the proposition proposed by Lex Corp? I want to go over it again."

He released the button without even waiting for a reply, and raked a tired hand down his face. He sat there for several moments waiting and frowned looking up at the closed doors. Marie had been insanely organized, surely she should have found the document by now. He pressed the button again, "Marie? Did you hear me?"

And that's when all the power went out.

His heart stopped in his chest as panic burned through him. He knew all the things that happened in his city, and with all the underhanded deals he had made in this city, he knew that he had made plenty of enemies. "Please be a blackout. Please be a blackout," he whispered, pulling his cell phone out of his pocket and flipped it open.

There was no signal. Not one tiny bar, and this place always had good reception. Mayor Floyd shut the phone, and swallowed harshly. His heart was pounding in his ears and he rose shakily to his feet. He shuffled towards the door, and listened for any shouts or gunfire.

Several seconds of silence ticked by and that made the uneasy feeling only intensify. Floyd placed his hand on the doorknob, and slowly twisted it. As quietly as he could, he pushed the door open and peeked out. The lights out here were out, too, and his eyes flickered over to his secretary's desk. He almost swallowed his tongue when he saw her body slumped lifelessly on top of it. _Oh, God. Oh, God,_ he thought, almost wild with fear.

"Marie?" He whispered. "Marie?"

No response.

He edged forward slowly, his knees almost buckling beneath him and his hand trembled as he reached out slowly. He pressed to fingers to her neck, and let out a breath when he found a slow, but steady pulse. "Oh, thank God."

Then he caught movement out of the corner of his eye, and twisted around. He almost swallowed his tongue when his eyes adjusted just enough to make out the person. Silent and still like a statue, the figure stood there dressed like death with a bow in hand and an arrow pointed straight at his face. A gravely, mechanical voice said, _"Mayor Floyd, you have failed this city."_

"Please," Floyd begged. "Please, just t-tell what you w-want. I'm s-sure we could work o-out some kind of deal."

" _I'm not here for deals. I'm here for justice,"_ the figure told him, the voice lacked any empathy for his fear and the faceless figure did not waver. _"You have stolen, and lied to the people in this city. You have caused pain and suffering, and you will pay for it."_

"W-what…what did you do to Marie?" Floyd managed to sputter out. His eyes were almost crisscrossed as they stared at the sharp arrow tip near his face. If the archer let it go, he would be in a great deal of pain if he didn't instantly die. His blood pounded in his veins, and he felt light headed like even given second he may faint.

" _I've given her a poison. Slow and painful death awaits her if you do not cooperate,"_ the dark archer warned him, allowing Floyd to absorb the information presented to him for a moment before continuing. _"It won't paint a pretty picture when the police show up. Another young woman found dead in your presences. Your secretary no less, and given your previous affairs, it would not be a stretch to say you killed her."_

Floyd's mouth worked up and down, as a cold sweat broke out along his skin. He was frozen to the spot in terror, and he placed a palm on the desk next to him to keep himself standing.

" _I suppose you could always point the finger at me,"_ the dark archer said, the tone in their voice considering and cutting in the same moment, _"but who would believe you? A mystery hooded figure with a bow? You'd be laughed right into a padded cell for a very, very long stay."_

Floyd trembled, his lips pressed together. He saw no way out. With being the prime suspect in already on murder case, there was no way he could not give into this mystery archer's demands. Especially if he wanted to make it out here alive. "What do you want?" He asked, feeling exhausted and defeated.

" _I want Sonny Corinthos's head on a silver platter,"_ the hooded figure told him, simply. _"You're the weak link that is going to get me to him."_

"You're kidding!" Floyd laughed, hysterically. He shook his head back and forth desperately. "No one can takedown Sonny Corinthos! People have tried for years."

" _None of them have the motivation that I do,"_ the hooded archer said, nonpulsed by his reaction. _"Nor the means I have, nor would go to the lengths that I will to ensure his death."_

"You…" Floyd didn't know what to say.

" _Now get me all the files you have on him,"_ the archer ordered, a jerky nod towards the large flash drive that sat on the desk. _"Hook it up to your computer. It will do the rest. Once its done, bring me the files. Her life and yours depend upon it."_

Floyd looked between the portable hard drive then at the archer for several seconds, unable to get his feet to move anywhere. "You cut off the power. How am I supposed to get to my computer?"

" _You computer has been turned back on. I would hurry,"_ the archer said, mockingly. _"Who know when I might just let this arrow slip?"_

Floyd swallowed harshly. He drew in a shuddering breath and picked up the hard drive with sweaty fingers. He went back into his office aware on the eyes and arrows that followed him carefully. He was startled to find that his computer had indeed had been turned back and he plugged the flash drive in slowly. As soon as it was in, the light on the flash drive lit up blue and suddenly file after file was popping on his screen. It was downloading everything on his computer, he realized and he grit his teeth together in an effort not to be sick.

While the download was happening, his eyes darted all around the desk for something to use as a weapon. His gaze fell upon his stainless steel letter opener before he darted back up to the hooded figure who still had the arrow pointed at him. Minutes ticked by slowly, agonizing slow until finally the download was done and as soon as he pulled the portable hard drive free from the computer, it shut off.

He didn't want to even think about the resources that this archer must have to do this, and he wondered if by being so desperate to keep Corinthos appeased that he hadn't unwittingly made a far more dangerous enemy. Taking a deep breath, he faked a stumble and caught himself on the desk. His right hand wrapped around the letter opener and he concealed it the best he could.

As soon as he was in two feet, he charged. Dropping the hard drive to the ground, Floyd raised the letter opener high, but the archer immediately dodged the attack in one smooth movement. A solid kick to his abdomen sent him flying back against the wall with an inhuman force. He tried to get to his feet to attack again when he heard the snap of a bowstring, and in the next second he felt a blistering pain in his arm.

The arrow sliced into the middle of his forearm, and he cried out in agony. The letter opener fell to the ground with a loud clatter and he soon followed with a great thud. Tears poured down his face, and he gasped holding his arm up in disbelief. "You…you shot me," he said, his voice strangled with pain.

" _A letter opener?"_ The archer snorted, kicking the offending object out of his reach with the tip of their boot. _"I don't take being doubled crossed well, Mayor Floyd. You really shouldn't have done that."_

Floyd closed his eyes in despair. "Please…" he panted, feeling the blood soak his sleeve. His entire was sweating now, and his stomached rolled. He could feel bile rush up the back of his throat, and in the next moment, he threw up on his brand new carpet. "Please…don't hurt us. Don't…make Marie pay for my mistake…"

" _Hmm."_ The dark archer made the noise in the back of their throat before grabbing his arm and ripped the arrow clean out of it. Floyd screamed, his body arched off the floor as flesh and bone were broken. _"I lied. She is merely sedated, not poisoned,"_ the archer commented, quietly. Perhaps even with a twinge of regret in their voice as they tossed the arrow to the ground and slipped their bow onto their back. _"Unlike you, I won't use deaths of innocents to further my agenda."_

Floyd was barely hanging on the consciousness at this point. Blood like a fountain ran down the length of his arm, and out on the floor.

The dark archer retrieved the hard drive from the floor and checked it for damage carefully. Satisfied with its condition, the archer turned back to Floyd. _"I will give you one chance at redemption. You will resign from your job posthaste, all your money you've made with your underhanded deals will go charities then you will leave Port Charles with the modest sum left to you and never return."_

"O-or else what?" Floyd stuttered, black dots dancing in front of his vision. He figured he had nothing else to lose now. Either this person would kill, or Corinthos would once he found out about what had happened.

" _I will come back to finish the job,"_ the hooded person promised, darkly before Floyd's eyes rolled into the back of his head. Five minutes later, Marie awoke, groggy and confused to find Mayor Floyd lying in a pool of his own blood and called 9-1-1.

* * *

In had been three hours since they returned to the penthouse, and Sam could feel a canyon of distance build between her and Jason. _And it was all Elizabeth's fault,_ Sam thought viciously. If the brunette had just stayed away then everyone's lives would have just been better. Sam was no fool. That whole spiel about not needing to be rescued was just a way to manipulation Jason. "She has to be lying, Jason. I think she ran off and doesn't want to admit, so she's using Helena as a convenient scapegoat. Or maybe she is working with Helena to get back at Lucky for moving on and marrying Siobhan. It wouldn't surprise me."

Jason didn't answer, he hand his face buried into the palms of his hands as he tried to find some way of containing the anger that Sam's words had invoked in him.

"Jason, did you hear a word of what I said?" Sam said, her arms were crossed over her chest.

Jason pinched his brow. "Elizabeth would never work with Helena. Not in any universe," he told her, sharply. He was tired of hearing her talk at this point. Even since encountering Elizabeth at the docks, Sam had speculated about her return. Each idea less flattering as she got herself worked up. "And Elizabeth wouldn't run away and leave Cameron behind. She loves him more than anything else in this world, and after losing Jake…" He closed his eyes in mute despair over Jake's death. The pain hadn't lessened, or disappeared. "I believe Elizabeth. She had no reason to lie about Helena, or about being kidnapped."

"Jason, if she was kidnapped how did she get away?" Sam pointed out. "I mean, come on, Elizabeth isn't exactly made to handle danger."

"She's handle herself in plenty of dangerous situations," Jason defended Elizabeth, giving Sam a glare. "Or have you forgotten how she saved your life from the Russians?"

"She got a lucky shot," Sam scoffed.

"Lucky shot or not, she could have taken the boys and ran. She didn't. She stayed to help you, and saved your life. It's not the first she did that either," Jason said, after a deep breath. "I don't understand you're need to make Elizabeth out to be an enemy when she isn't."

"Jason," she drew out the syllables in a whine, "I'm just trying to get you to see that there is more to this story than what Elizabeth is trying to get us to buy. She's lied before to manipulate you, and she'll do it again."

"If you are talking about keeping Jake a secret then you need to stop," Jason's expression shuttered, and his voice when arctic cold. "That is not a conversation that you want us to have."

Angry tears filled up Sam's eyes. "Why not Jason? You can't stand to admit that Elizabeth isn't some perfect angel, can you?" She let out a bitter and choked laugh. "She lied to everyone about needing time to herself and that's why she couldn't go back to Lucky meanwhile she was screwing his brother! She lied to you about your son, the son you created as a mistake for sleeping with—"

"Sam, enough!" Jason bellowed, his fist slamming into the wall next to him. His eyes flashed dangerously, and he glared at her in a way she hadn't seen since he found about the gunmen she had hired to scare Elizabeth and her boys. "What was between Elizabeth and Nicolas was their business. No one else's. As for the night of the blackout…was and never will be a mistake. We were both hurt. We were both betrayed. We needed someone to lean on, someone to anchor us and we found that in each other.. All that happened afterwards…none of us handle that mess right. At least, Elizabeth was thinking of everyone else instead of herself."

He stormed out of the penthouse leaving Sam fuming. She paced the length of the room several times, and she knew that she had to keep Elizabeth out of their lives. If Jason went rushing to Elizabeth's aid—no doubt in some damsel in distress act—Sam would lose him for good this time. She just knew it.

So she started scheming.

* * *

Kristina Davis had just closed up at Kelly's. She had started working there and it had taken her mind off of Kiefer. After her put his hands on her, Kristina should have broken up with him right then and there. But she had bought all the apologizes and allowed herself to be sucked back in until he almost choked her to death when she had been late to their date. She had managed to get away, and broken up with him over a text. He had replied with texts filled with threats and called her horrible names and she was honestly scared that he would do something. She found herself jumping at shadows, and loud noises.

If Molly had noticed, but didn't ask. Sam was too wrapped up in Jason and the desperate need to have a child to even see anything else. Her mother was wrapped up trying to clear her name in the Mayor's mistress's death to even pay attention to what her daughters were doing.

Kristina had just decided to deal with it herself. Sometimes, she resented Molly's ability to get lost so easily in books and fairytales. She could clean as many tables at Kelly's, get lost in motion of working, but when the day ended, she could feel the anxiety build back up inside of her. She quickened her pace to meet Michael at the end of the block and wait for him to get off work at docks where he put up storage for their dad. (Legal storage that was. Sonny had forbade him to get involved with the other side of his business.)

Kristina looked down at her feet, with a sigh when hands from the dark alley way reached out and grabbed her. She tried to scream, but a large hand muffled the sound. She kicked and fought until she felt something metal and sharp placed to her neck.

"Stop fighting, or you're dead," a low familiar voice warned her, and Kristina whimpered in fear when she made out Kiefer's shadow. Tears prickled at her eyes, and she couldn't believe this was happening to her.

"You stupid bitch," Kiefer growled. "You think you can just run out on me? You think you send me a text to break up with me? You are mine, Kristina, and I'm going to prove it to you." His hands shove her coat out of the way, and goes to the buttons of her shirt. He tore it open, and Kristina screamed against his palm. The knife cut into her neck, and she froze in panic and fear. Everything in her was telling her to fight, but she didn't want to die.

Suddenly, there was a whistle sound that cut through the air and then Kiefer was screaming. He dropped the knife and back away, clawing at something in his shoulder blade. When he fell to his knees and turned, Kristina saw that it was an arrow. Kristina then looked up to see the silhouette of an archer standing at the end of the alleyway with a bow in hand.

"I…I…" Kristina stammered out. Her hands clutched her shirt closed, and she started backpedaling away from Kiefer. "You _saved_ me…" She could barely believe it. It was like something out a comic book, and she leaned against the brick wall to keep herself upright.

The archer put away their bow after they approached Kiefer, regarding him as something that one found on the bottom of one's shoe.

"You… _freak_ ," Kiefer bit out, angrily. Spittle flew from his mouth, and his body was shaking uncontrollably from the amount of pain he was experiencing. "You'll pay for this!"

" _Not as much as you,"_ the archer promised, and with one solid punch laid Kiefer out across the pavement. The archer reached into the pouch at their waist and pulled out zip ties. Kristina watched as her savoir made sure that Kiefer's hands were secured behind his back before they turned to her. _"Are you alright?"_

"I…I think so…" Kristina said, uncertainly. It took her a moment, but she finally got her own two feet underneath her steadily.

"Kristina," a shout came and Michael running around the corner. He reached her side when his eyes swiveled to Kiefer who laid on the ground in pain and then up at the archer standing there. When he heard screams, he had thought the worst, and this…this was not what he imagined. "What the hell? Kristina, what happened? I was waiting to give you a ride home, but you never showed! I got worried, and then I heard shouts! I expected…not this!"

How he managed to get that all out in one breath, Kristina would never know. Kristina swallowed, thickly. "Kiefer…he grabbed me…Michael, he had a knife…and I was saved by…" She pointed a shaky finger at the archer.

"You saved my sister?" Michael asked, his hand on Kristina's back in case they had to run. Normal people did run around with bows, and masks after all.

The archer studied them for a second, before nodding. They started to back up slowly, slinking back into the shadows to disappear into the night.

"Wait. Where are you going?" Kristina asks meekly, wringing her shirt in her hands as she stared at the person who had saved her from a horrible fate. Her big brown eyes impossibly wide filled with a damaged and terrified look. "I…I don't think I can do this alone."

The archer visibly struggled. They couldn't leave her in this state by herself. _"The police are less than five minutes out. Just stay put here with your brother. I'll be watching until they get here,"_ the archer said, their voice soothing despite the mechanical clicks and distortion.

"Y-you promise?" Kristina asked, her voice barely audible.

" _I promise,"_ the archer swore, and turned to walk away.

"Wait!"

The archer turned back, questioningly.

"What's your name?" Michael immediately shakes his head and elaborated, "I mean, I would like to know the person who saved my sister? What do we call you?"

The archer paused, as if not expecting such a question. "The Ebony Arrow," was the reply, and in the next second, they were gone into the shadows as if they had never been there.

* * *

END OF CHAPTER! If anything of the GH timeline is off, then just consider it part of the AU. I didn't watch around this time so I don't know everything that was currently going on. :D

 **NOTES:**

 **1.)** Basically Helena kidnapped Liz. With Liz gone, Lucky had to make the choice to donate his kidneys which Liz clearly did not want to do. She wanted more tests to be ran. She's been gone for six months, but not all that time was spent as Helena's captive. What happened filled with flashbacks, and cameos from the Crossovers.

 **2.)** Sam's attitude was really based off how she treated Liz for the most part. Right or wrong, Sam always accused Liz of acting like she did no wrong, when Sam can't even admit what she did wrong because Liz's wrongs would pale in comparison. While I do like the times these two women were able to put their differences aside, for the most part Sam has always been antagonist towards Liz before they tried to whitewash her completely and make Liz the root of all evil. (Yeah, GH so not buying that.) So yea, psycho 2007 Sam is back and staying so if that's a no go for you then you probably should jump ship.

 **What do you think the theme song would be?**

"Control" by Hasley

OR

"I'm So Sorry" by Imagine Dragons

 **If you don't know them, please go listen to them on you tube and tell me what you think.**

 **On the Arrow Soundtrack:**

 **1.) "The Fighter" by In This Moment**

 **2.) "Bridges" by Broods**

 **3.) "Warrior" by Beth Crowley**

 **4.) "The Troubles" by U2**

 **5.) "Under" by Alex Hepburn**

 **6.) "World So Cold" by 12 Stones**

 **7.) "Thousand Eyes" by Monsters and Men**

 **8.) "This is War" by 30 Seconds to Mars**

 **9.) "Everything Burns" by Ben Moody**

 **10.) "Too Close" by Alex Clare**

 **11.) "Sweet Dreams" by Emily Browning**

 **12.) "Eyes on Fire" by Blue Foundation**

 **13.) "Black and White" by Earlyrise**

 **14.) "Did You Miss Me" by The Veronicas**

 **15.) "Where the Lonely Ones Roam" by Digital Daggers**

 **16.) "Immortals (Remix" by Fall Out Boy**

 **17.) "In Memory" by Shinedown**

 **18.) "Narcissistic Cannibal" by Earlyrise (or Korn's version)**

 **19.) "The Sound of Silence" by Simon and Garfunkel**

 **20.) "Awake and Alive" by Skillet**

 **21.) "Hero" by Jessie J**

 **22.) "Unsteady" by X Ambassadors**

 **23.) "Darker Than Blood" by Steve Aoki ft. Linkin Park**

 **24.) "Wrong Side of Heaven" by Five Finger Death Punch**

 **25.) "Control" by Halsey**

 **26.) "Shattered" by Trading Yesterday**

 **27.) "Deranged" by Coheed and Cambria**

 **28.) "Stranger" by X Ambassadors**

 **29.) "Shining" by X Ambassadors**

 **30.) "Heroes" by Manz Zelmerlow**

 **RRs are appreciated.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing from General Hospital. This is for amusement only.

 **Summary:** "I am a mother looking for justice for her son." Elizabeth Webber takes matters into her own hands to get Jake justice and punish those behind the accident.

 **Timeline:** Set right after Jake's accident.

 **Things You Need to Know:** This is very AU. There are things that I have changed about the history because one I did not like them, or I don't have time to address them in the story that I have set up. The Niz affair did happened, but Liz wasn't engaged or dating Lucky. Lucky still felt betrayed, and still treats Liz horrible. There was no pregnancy storyline that followed. Liz didn't try to get back with either Lucky or Nic, but has been single and happy with her boys, Jake and Cameron. Rest of history is as follows.

 **Pairings:** Elizabeth/Unknown, Nicolas/Britt. Other pairings to be determined.

 **Inspiration:** The movie "Lila and Eve" really caught my attention and after watching it the trailer a few times. The lines that caught me were, "We are mothers, and when the worst happens we lose our minds and sometimes, our lives. Get to acceptance, so you can get on with your lives." I realized that this situation mirrored Elizabeth in many ways except one. Liz never really got justice for Jake. It was a whole cop out with Luke being the driver and I felt that there could been so much more to the story. There should have been more to that story than giving Jake's kidneys to Jocelyn and then sweeping him under the rug. The show promised some kind of big change, and so I am providing it. With a little superhero twist on the side to make things spicy.

 **Tags:** Romance, Suspense, Crime, Mystery, Murder, Major Character Deaths, Non-con, Elizabeth Webber, Britt Westbourne, Spinelli, Molly Davis, Jason Morgan, Sam McCall, Lucky Spencer, Carly Jax, Not for Lucky and Sam fans, Likeable Britch, Spinelli is Liz's geeky bf, Jason isn't a lapdog, Well, he is but he grows out of it, Hypocritics will get called out on shit, Superheroes, Lizzie got an upgrade, And friends who don't take shit, The hands of the healer are always the bloodiest, and more.

 **Warning:** This is heavy angst. There will be lighter moments, but this is about a woman driven to the edge that has to matters into her own hands to ensure the safety of her children. If you are looking for happy endings, you aren't going to get them very much here. There might be little to no romance, because I'm not sure if I'm going to pair Liz with anyone. Not even Jason. If you are a Sam fan this is not the fic for you. I'm bringing back the 2007 psycho Sam, so you have been warned. Lucky is getting his, I always hated how they had him act like Liz did him (which admittedly she did), but in the three times that Lucky cheated on Liz, she never treated him the way the writer's wrote him. I see JJ portraying him because he was the one yelling and spewing hate at Elizabeth. Several others will also be getting karma that's coming to them, while others get a bit of redemption and a chance at growth.

 **I want to thank,** Ember1313, NaxieFan48, immcarthy, mif456, Bryantk82, brae76, trini12180, Bettyboop48748, lilnudger82 **, you for all the favs.**

 **I want to thank,** Ember1313, NaxieFan48, kcke2pen, leeleelayla5, mif456, Bryantk82, Wonderwomom, brae76, fundays, narnia365, ravenb, trini12180, Bettyboop48748, The ChicaChic, lilnudger82, Twisted Musalih, Bjq, SoapOperaEmpress **, you for all the follows.**

 **I want to thank,** kcke2pen, Meridian, Ember1313, arcoiris0502, S, leeleelayla5, Leki-Reti, trini12180, mif456, ilovedana53, fun days, starlight guardian, lilnudger82, leasmom, chaw chic, Bjq, SoapOperaEmpress **, you for all the reviews.**

 **Guest Reviews:**

 **Meridian:** Thank you so much! Yes, I feel that Liz gets a bad wrap and just because she doesn't face the consequences that others want her to face, they say she doesn't get punished. I don't mind Sam, but I can't stand when they have her act like she hasn't' done anything in her past. The hypocrisy irritates me, lol.

 **S:** Thank you so much. Yes, that's the Elizabeth I want to portray and the Elizabeth I wished they would bring back on the show. Given the talks with FV and RH have gone so well, and GH gave her a contract that apparently beat out what other shows were willingly to tease her into leaving, I hope we get just that. I don't know how the pairings are going to go right now, they're still up in the air, but hope all will enjoy regardless. :D

 **Leasmom:** thank you.

 **Crossover: Arrow, more pending**

 **This chapter is inspired by the following songs:**

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWO**

" **All the Kingsmen"**

Elizabeth had decided to go to General Hospital. Not only to see her friends, but to see if her belongings that she had left behind were possibly still there. Her sister had said she hadn't been given anything from the hospital, and she called the police station to see if they had been taken there. Apparently, since she was declared to have gone insane and ran away, the police didn't look into it. So if they were anywhere, it would be the hospital. It was a long shot, but one she needed to look into. With her cellphone pressed to her ear, she stepped out of the elevator and said, "No. That's not necessary. I have it covered. I don't need a loan, and don't need that woman's blood money to help buy me a house. I know that, but using it makes me fell…unclean."

Her heels clicked across the floor and she stopped in front of the hub where a new doctor that she had never seen before was standing there. "I've have to go. I'm in the hospital. I'm aware that this conversation isn't over," she said into the phone. "It never is with you," she added, underneath her breath.

The female doctor looked slightly amused, her greenish hazel eyes flickering up from the screen to where Elizabeth stood.

"No. I was just saying the hospital is looking very blue," Elizabeth winced at the very unconvincing lie. "Okay. Talk to you later, bye." She ended the call and turned to the doctor. "Sorry that you had to hear that."

"Boyfriend?" The doctor asked.

"He's a boy and he's my friend, does that count?" Elizabeth said, with a light laugh. Brushing a rebellious strand of hair out of her face, she looked up at the woman. "Are you new here? I've never seen you before."

"I just started two weeks ago. I'm Doctor Britt Westbourne, and you are…" Britt trailed off, certain she had seen this woman before, but for the life of her she couldn't place her.

"Elizabeth Webber," she said.

Britt's eyes widened. "The Elizabeth Webber? I mean…I've heard stories and I seen the news report on you. From when you went missing. Obviously you aren't anymore," she stated, her eyebrows up in her hairline.

"No, not anymore," Elizabeth's laugh was less real this time. "I was wondering actually if you direct me to someone who might now what happened with my belongings. I know its been six months, but I had some pictures of my boys, Cameron and Jake that I would really like to get back."

Before Britt could answer, a shriek echoed through the hospital. "ELIZABETH?"

Elizabeth barely had time to steady herself before the oncoming blue that was Patrick Drake slammed into her, and squeezed her tightly. "Hey, Patrick," Elizabeth mumbled out, her face crushed into his chest. "Missed me?"

"Missed you?" Patrick pulled back, his face torn between being angry and happy. His dark eyes were glazed over with tears, and he swallowed harshly. "Elizabeth, of course, we missed you. When you went missing we thought the worst. We thought Jake's death had pushed you over the edge, and we searched for you. We tried to get the police to search for you, but no one was doing anything… " He let out a haggard breath, and placed a hand over his lips.

Elizabeth felt her own tears burning in her eyes, and she fought to keep them at bay. If there was anything worth missing about Port Charles, it was Epiphany, and Patrick. They had supported her through everything, no matter if it had been a horrible mistake or not. "I know. I know. I am so sorry for all that you've went through," she told him, sincerely. "And I want you to know it wasn't my choice in leaving."

"Wasn't your choice?" Patrick frowned, his brows furrowed. "What do you mean it wasn't your choice? Elizabeth, did Lucky…"

"No. Lucky had nothing to do with that," Elizabeth assured him, her eyes hardened at the mention of her ex's name. She took a steady breath, running her fingers through her hair. "It's actually a very long story…"

"I hope it's a story I get to hear."

Elizabeth and Patrick looked up to see Epiphany with her hands on her hips, and she gave Elizabeth a look that she reserved for the new orderlies. One that said she would put up with no nonsense. "Hi, Epiphany. It's so good to see you," Elizabeth's face visibly brightened and she found herself pulled into yet another hug.

"It's good to see you," Epiphany whispered, before she let the petite brunette go. With an eyebrow ticked upward, she looked down at Elizabeth expectantly. "Now I do believe an explanation is in order, Nurse Webber, and it had better be a good one."

"She is not Nurse Webber," a voice interrupted them harshly. "And if I have my way, she'll never be a nurse ever again."

When she looked up to see Monica standing a the hub with a dark glare fixated on Elizabeth. Elizabeth had to fight a sigh, and the urge to roll her eyes. _Of course with the good comes the bad,_ she thought sourly. "Monica, how lovely to see you," she managed to say with a straight face and polite tone that gave away none of annoyance she felt inside. "Is that a new face? I apologize, it's just that every time you come back to the hospital it seems to have changed."

Monica's face turned red. _Score 1 for Lizzie._

The Quartermaine matriarch sniffed, and composed herself to look down her nose at Elizabeth. "I don't care how or why you are back in Port Charles, but we've already hired a nurse to take over your shift. There is no place for you at General Hospital."

Poor Dr. Westbourne looked torn between fleeing and staying. To flee she would have to push past Monica, and that would mean no seeing the end of this very juicy argument. _This could only be better if I had popcorn,_ she thought, suppressing a laugh at the thought.

"Actually, I don't need or want my job back Monica. Go ahead and try to get my license to be a nurse taken away because I can guarantee that you won't get very far," Elizabeth said, with her arms crossed over her chest. As bad as fights with Monica got (and would get in the months to come no doubt), she was all bluster and therefore easily dismissed as any potential threat.

"Then why are you here? Clearly not for a medical emergency or you wouldn't be here keeping my staff from doing their jobs and wasting a patient's valuable time," Monica snapped. She hadn't like Elizabeth keeping Jake from her, and then when Sam told her all the things that Elizabeth had done that summer before he had been born…well, to put it lightly Emily was probably rolling in her grave for ever calling Elizabeth a friend.

"Patients? Monica, you're hospital is practically empty. General Hospital is on its last leg, and we both know it. Don't act like I'm doing some criminal by talking to my friends who I haven't seen in months," Elizabeth said, rolling her eyes and not even bothered hiding it. She just shook her head, and whatever respect she had for Monica was completely gone. If the woman couldn't come to her and give her to time to explain her and Jason's history from her side, then she wasn't the woman that had raised Emily. "As for why I am here, I wanted to inquire about my belonging that I left behind. To see where they ended up. There were some pictures that I would like back."

"Well, I'm sorry, Elizabeth," Monica said, not sounding sorry about it at all. Her hands were clasped in front of her and she favored Elizabeth with a look of anger. "The hospital is not responsible for any belongings that are left here, especially belongings of a former employee who ran off when she decided life got too tough for her to handle."

Elizabeth's expression contorted, and she gave Monica the most vicious glare she could muster. "I didn't run and disappear because life got to hard. I was kidnapped by Helena Cassadine," she dropped the bomb, and waited.

A hush had fallen over the hospital, and Elizabeth just stood there waiting. Patrick was the first to get his voice back, and he looked at Elizabeth incredulously. "Let me get this straight, you were kidnapped by Helena Cassadine?" Patrick asked, shaking his head slightly. "Don't you think you should have led with that?"

"I would have got around to mentioning it," Elizabeth said, with a slight shrug. "Well, if we hadn't been rudely interrupted," she gave Monica the stink eye out of the corner of her eye, and watched the woman stiffen.

"Helena isn't something to joke about, Elizabeth," Epiphany said, shocked and horrified. Helena Cassadine held a special kind of hatred for Elizabeth because the brunette stood up to when others failed to.

"I know," Elizabeth said, looking contrite. "I know. It's the only way I know how to deal with it all. I'm just lucky that I managed to get away, and get back to my son."

"Speaking of Cameron, where is your son, Elizabeth? Shouldn't you be at home with him?" Monica interjected once again.

Elizabeth didn't know whether to be annoyed or grateful for the change in subject. It allowed her to get away without delving deeper into what Helena had done to her, but Monica was putting her nose where it clearly did not belong. That was going to be a problem. "With Sarah."

"Is he coming back? Or are you leaving?" Patrick asked.

"She better not," Epiphany stated, sharply. "We just got you back. You ain't leaving us again anytime soon."

"He's coming back, but I felt that taking him out of his school halfway through the year wouldn't be the right thing to do," Elizabeth said, with a sad smile. She missed him so much. "Sarah agreed to let him stay until the end of this year while I got a house and everything settled here."

"That must be hard on you," Patrick said, softly. He couldn't imagine Emma being all the way on the other side of the country, and losing Jake, it must be all that much harder on Elizabeth.

"It is, but it'll be okay. Cameron's the most resilient boy. Sarah told me how he didn't cry, how he held it all in until I showed up that day at her house," she said, her jaw clenched tightly. Angry tears prickled at her eyelids, but she kept them desperately from falling. She sniffled, and steeled herself against the onslaught of emotions. "He thought I had abandoned him. He had already lost his brother, and thanks for Helena, he thought he lost me, too."

"I am so sorry, Elizabeth," Epiphany said, quietly. She knew how it felt to lose a child. It was a pain that would never go away and she pulled the other woman into another hug. "If any of us had known, we would have came for you. We would have found you."

"I know that, Epiphany, and don't be sorry. Helena Cassadine is the one to blame here. Not any of you," Elizabeth said, pulling back. "I would have been back sooner, but…I had quite a bit of recovery to go through."

"Recovery?" Patrick looked horrified.

"I'm better now," Elizabeth assured him. She wasn't ready to share the details of all that happened, and to be honest, she most likely would never share fully what Helena put her through. It was better for everyone if some things just stayed buried. "And I'm staying in Port Charles, so I promise no more disappearing acts."

Monica scoffed, underneath her breath.

Epiphany gave the other woman a glare before she looked at Elizabeth. "When you disappeared, I packed away your things from your locker. I told Sarah about them, but she said she just couldn't take them yet. That to accept them would be to admit that you were…" she trailed off, looking ill. "I can get them for you, if you want."

Elizabeth smiled. "Epiphany, have I ever told you that you are amazing and the greatest friend a girl could have?"

"Not nearly enough," Epiphany smirked, with a chuckle.

"Hey, what about me?" Patrick asked, mock offended. "I thought I was the greatest friend a girl could have."

"You've been dethroned," Elizabeth told him, impishly. Both her and Epiphany laughed a good while at the indignant, pouty look on Patrick's face.

* * *

Jason walked down the penthouse stairs, and was grateful that Sam was not there today. She had been put out when he shut her down about speculations about Elizabeth's return, and had been giving him the cold shoulder "until he came to his senses". Her words, not his.

He walked over to the closet and opened it slowly. He knelt down and moved a few boxes until he found the one he was looking for. It was an old wooden box with the initials J. Q. and J. M. had been engraved on the top. It had been given to him by Lila several years ago. _"To honor who you were, and to celebrate who you've become,"_ Lila had told him, with a bright smile. It was probably one of the few things that he kept that even reminded him a little of Jason Quartermaine.

He unlatched the lid and opened it with great care. Inside of it were pictures. One of Michael as a baby, one of Lila and Emily, one of Elizabeth and Cameron, a pregnant Sam sleeping on the couch, and another of Elizabeth holding Jake. He has several sonograms. Michael's, Cameron's, Lila's, Jake's. So many chances he had at a family and he had squander them away. His finger tips brushed the pictures aside to the postcard of Italy next to a ring box that would never be given to the woman that it had been made for.

A knock on the door jolted him back to the present, and he swiftly put the box back where it was hidden. Shutting the closet door, he walked over to the door and opened it. To his relief, it was just Spinelli.

"Stone Cold," Spinelli said, brightly. "You needed the Jackal's assistance?"

"Yes. I did," Jason nodded, and allowed Spinelli to enter. "Thank you for coming over right away."

"The Jackal always has to help a friend in need,"

"Normally I wouldn't ask for you to put yourself in this position Spinelli. Sam is your friend, and you know how she gets about Elizabeth," Jason rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Not to correct you Stone Cold, but while I do indeed consider the Goddess one of my most nearest and dearest of friends, I also consider the Maternal One a friend as well. To hear the Queen of the Damned was behind her disappearance is cause for alarm. Surely the Goddess would understand the necessity in looking into this matter further," Spinelli said, with his brows crinkled together and a light frown on his face.

"Sam and I ran into Elizabeth at the docks. Sam…didn't seem to be understanding," Jason said, clearing his throat and looking down at his boots. He didn't know why Sam clung to her hatred of Elizabeth so tightly. Maybe she hadn't changed as much as he thought she had. "There was tension there. I don't want to make it any worse."

"Oh…" Spinelli's shoulders slumped slightly. He knew that Sam and Elizabeth would never be friends, but he had thought such things in the past. "Okay. What do you need for me to do?"

"I need you to try and find out what all Helena did to Elizabeth. From…from the way she talked," Jason heaved a deep sigh, running a hand down his face, "it wasn't anything good."

"May I ask why you want this information, Stone Cold?" Spinelli asked, after a moment of hesitation. "Would it not be better to wait until the Maternal One confides in you?"

"I tried to get her to tell me last night at the docks, but I got the impression that she…isn't going to be confiding in me any time soon."

"And?" Spinelli ventured, seeing the wounded expression on Jason's face. While he knew Jason loved Sam, it was always Elizabeth that drew the deeper emotions out of Jason. It was always the Maternal One that made him come alive in ways no else could.

"She said she didn't need anyone to pick her up out of the snow," Jason said, his voice slightly strained.

Spinelli's eyes flickered. "You think she was talking about the time she found you shot, or the time…" He trailed off, noting how Jason's shoulder tensed and the way his hands clenched in his lap. "Oh, poor Maternal One…"

"I don't know what happened to her. Elizabeth doesn't talk about it. She made it a point to avoid talking about it," Jason said, stonily. He fixed a glare on the computer geek that he had come to think of as a brother. "I don't know what to do. Something has changed her, and I want to help her if I can. After Jake's death, I…I owe to him to make sure his mother is alright and I owe to the history that Elizabeth and I share to make sure she's going to be okay."

Spinelli just stared.

"What?" Jason barked.

"Nothing. Nothing. It's just, Stone Cold, I don't think I have ever heard you say so much at one time," the geek offered, a tad bit sheepish.

"Spinelli," Jason groaned, rolling his eyes.

"Have no fear, Stone Cold, the Grasshopper will find the knowledge that you seek," Spinelli said, quickly to placate the mobsters.

"Good. And don't mention this to anyone. Especially to Sam, or Elizabeth. I just…I just want to make sure Elizabeth is alright, and that she's got the support she needs this time."

 _Unlike last time._ Spinelli could read between the lines. He had always thought it a bit callous that Jason cut all contact between him and Liz so abruptly. Spinelli thought of brining up the subject, but ultimately felt that it was not his place. That didn't mean he was blind to all that had happened to the Maternal One. The Spencers couldn't be counted on to be there for her because they only cared about her when they wanted something from her. Steven was pretty much thought he knew best, and didn't give Liz the understanding she needed. Robin and Patrick were wrapped up in their own affairs, especially with crazy Lisa Niles running around so Elizabeth was virtually left on her own.

He hadn't been a good friend, either. Elizabeth had always been kind and reassuring towards him. Saying 'hello' even when she didn't have the time or was having a bad day. "Alright, Stone Cold," Spinelli smiled, with a nod. "I accept."

* * *

Patrick and Epiphany were rather reluctant to let her out of their sight even with Monica giving them evil eye, but they did have jobs to do. After repeating the promise to go out to the diner with them tonight, Elizabeth finally managed to slip away. She couldn't help, but feel a little bit worried when neither of the mentioned Robin. She had said Robin's name that one time sent a stricken expression across Patrick's face.

Something had happened, but Elizabeth would find out later. After going through the things Epiphany had saved, Elizabeth noted that her pictures of Jake were missing. She had an idea of just who took them, and would get the back later. While looking into the bag, she spotted Alexis sitting outside of a hospital room and the hollowness of her expression spoke volumes. She battled internally for about a half a minute before she walked towards the other woman, and said softly, "Alexis?"

Alexis jumped, then sagged with exhaustion when she saw Elizabeth then she did a double take. "Oh, my God! Elizabeth you're back!"

"So everyone notices," Elizabeth said, with a smile.

"What? How?" Alexis got her feet, and pulled the other woman into a hug. Despite the history between Elizabeth and Sam, Alexis has always had a good relationship with the other brunette.

"Helena Cassadine kidnapped me," Elizabeth said, simply.

Alexis held up a hand. "No further explanations needed. I take it wasn't some pleasure cruise, she took you on," she said, with a heavy sigh.

"Is anything pleasant when Helena Cassadine is involved?" Elizabeth posed the question, with a slight quirk of her lips.

"You have point," Alexis laughed, lightly. "I imagine everyone is in an uproar that you the most recently returned "dead" person walking around Port Charles."

"Well, I wasn't official declared. One of first things I checked out," Elizabeth said, with a light shrug of her shoulders.

"Of course," Alexis nodded.

"As for the uproar…it's an uproar," Elizabeth said, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. Uproar in her opinion was tamed term for all that she had planned, but she wasn't going to say that outloud. "Some joyful. Some otherwise."

"Otherwise?" The DA saw the grimace that twisted across the young nurse's expression.

"Monica's not my biggest fan at the moment," Elizabeth said, bluntly. If it had been a few months ago, that might have hurt. Monica was always a bit like a surrogate mother to her in the absent of her own, but the recent years had changed that dramatically. "I think she would have rather I walked to the edge of cliff and took a nosedive off of it to perfectly honest."

"Well, I am for one glad that you are alright," Alexis said, sincerely. She had known that something with wrong with the way that Elizabeth had disappeared. Even when her life was in shambles, the single mother had always put her best foot forward for her boys. It made no sense that she would leave Cameron behind, and Alexis had even told Mac that. However, when Mac started looking into, he was quickly forced to retire and the new commissioner had no interest in pursing it. It made sense that Helena was pulling the strings. "And may that witch stay in the hell she deserves this time for good."

"Here's to hoping," Elizabeth said, with a snort of amusement. She immediately sobered after a moment and looked at Alexis from head to toe. "May I ask why you are here Alexis? You usually try to avoid this place unless you have to." Her eyes widened with fear. "Is it the cancer? Is it back?"

"No. No!" Alexis quickly reassured her. "Thank God, no. I'm still cancer free amazingly. No, I'm here…well, I'm here for Kristina," she said, her voice faltered and horrific pain flashed across her face.

"Is Kristina okay? Was there some kind of accident?" Elizabeth asked, concerned.

"No. Her boyfriend—her ex-boyfriend—he grabbed her on her way home from Kelly's," Alexis said, her voice trembled. "He tried to…tried to…oh, God, I can't even say it."

Elizabeth got what she was trying to say, and she pulled the older woman into a hug. "I am so sorry, Alexis," she told her, sympathetically. "If there is anything I can do," she pulled back, and gave her arms a comforting squeeze, "please let me know. If you need to talk, or Kristina needs to talk, all you need to do is call."

"Thank you, Elizabeth," Alexis said, teary eyed. "You have no idea what that means to hear that." She sniffled, pulling a tissue out of her pocket and blowing into it. "I don't know all that happened, but Michael told me to wait until Kristina told me everything. The police have been in and out of the room, but haven't said a word. It's driving me crazy. But maybe this what I deserve. Lately, I've been…so caught up in everything that is going on, I didn't stop to see that my daughter was hurting. If I had just seen what was going on…"

"Alexis, you can't blame yourself," Elizabeth said, with a small shake of her head. "Kristina is going to need you now more than ever. She is going to look at you, and you have to be strong so she can be strong. I'm not going to lie and say it's going to get better overnight. Everyone is different with how they heal from this kind of attack, but you are a good mom, Alexis. I have no doubt that Kristina is in good hands."

Alexis was silent for a long moment. "You know, a lot of people underestimate you, and for the life of me, I don't understand why. You have been through so much, and yet you find it in yourself to be kind and compassionate to others," the DA stated, swallowing thickly. "Even when they don't deserve it."

Elizabeth opened her mouth, then closed it. She wasn't sure how to respond, or why Alexis felt the need to say that. She looked away then back. "Alexis, you are too hard on yourself sometimes. We've all done things we've regret. We can't change the past," she told her, with certainty. "We can only shape the outcome of our futures. That's what you need to focus on. Making things better for you and your kids."

Alexis smiled. "Thank you, Elizabeth. I know that there is a ton of things that you probably should be doing right now, a lot of people you want to go see but I appreciate that you came to talk to me. It means a lot. Oh, Michael," Alexis said, as the young man approached them. "How is she?"

"She doing alright. A little shaken. The doctor's are going to prescribe her a little pain medicine, and recommend her a therapist," Michael said, with a heavy sigh. "I just can't believe this happened to Kristina. If that archer didn't show up…"

"Archer?" Alexis frowned, bemused.

"Yeah. This person dressed in a mask with a hood and a bow shot Kiefer before he got a chance to hurt Kristina then restrained him. It was the most strangest thing I've ever seen," Michael said, in awe. He shook his head slightly side to side as if trying to wrap his mind around it.

"An archer?" Elizabeth's eyes widened. "Wait, you can't be serious. A person with a bow and arrow saved Kristina's life? That's crazy even for Port Charles standards."

"Tell me about it," Dante caught the tail end of the conversation after he shut the hospital door, and walked to the group. His face was severe and grim and he ran his hand through his hair before he continued, "Alexis, I want you to know the charges are going to stick. I know you worried about Kiefer's father trying to pull any strings with the new commissioner, but there is video footage that back ups Kristina's story. The pawn shop across the street caught the whole thing on their security camera, so he isn't getting away with what he did to Kristina."

"What about the Ebony Arrow? Were they caught on tape, too?" Michael questioned, curiously.

"The Ebony Arrow?" Elizabeth arched a brow.

"That's the hero's name," Michael cleared his throat.

"This person is a vigilante, Michael, not a hero," Dante told him, scolding. "But no. The quality of the film doesn't give us a clear view of them."

"Where did this vigilante come from?" Elizabeth looked flabbergasted. "I mean, a person dressing up with a bow and arrow? That's like some fantastical storyline from one of Cameron's comic books."

"We don't know. What we do know that it's not the first time that the vigilante has been spotted in Port Charles, either," Dante said, running a hand down his face. "Drug traffic went down dramatically after a few seller were roughed up, but they wouldn't tell who did it. Except one who was strung out so high that no one believed a word out of his mouth."

"How long has this been going on?" Michael asked.

"About a month," Dante admitted. "It's been driving the new commissioner insane."

"While I normally wouldn't support vigilantism, or people running around in a mask…however, I can't help, but be grateful," Alexis admitted, wringing her hands together. "No matter how alarming their methods and appearance, they stopped Kiefer from hurting Kristina worse than he already had."

"That's the only good the vigilante did last night. Before this Ebony Arrow showed up to save Kristina, they paid the Mayor a visit. It wasn't a nice one," Dante stated, darkly.

Alexis made a face. "Forgive me for not exactly acting too sorry about that. He's not my favorite person right now," she stated, with a slight shrug of her shoulders.

"Understandable," Dante said, with a incline of his head. His dark eyes fell to Elizabeth and scrutinized her for a long moment. "Elizabeth, can I talk to you for a moment?" Dante finally asked.

Elizabeth blinked in surprise. "Sure."

Dante led them out of hearing distance of Michael and Alex before he started his interrogation. "Elizabeth, does Lulu know you're back? Does Lucky?" he asked, a hint of a reprimand in his voice.

"Since the last words Lulu spoke to me were to 'go to hell', she wasn't at the top of my list of people to call once I got back. Neither is Lucky," Elizabeth said, simply.

"Elizabeth, you disappeared when you're son was just declared brain dead—" Dante started, but he didn't get a chance to finish it when Elizabeth shoved him hard. His mouth dropped in surprise and he found himself speechless at the vicious expression on her face.

"Dante, if you know what is good for you…you will _not_ bring my son into this. Not being there for Jake's last moments is something I will never get back, to not get to say good-bye or hold his hand until he passed is something will haunt me for the rest of my life. I will not have you or anyone else try to throw it into my face," Elizabeth's eyes flashed dangerously and her jaw clenched tightly. Her hands twitched at her sides as if she were half tempted to slap him across the face. "I did not leave of my own will. Helena Cassadine took me, but I'm sure the thought that I had been kidnapped did not pass anyone's mind. No, I'm sure Lucky got it into his head that I was desperate to get him back and was using my son's horrible accident to do so. And I'm sure the rest of you believed it."

When Dante's eyes flickered away with a hint of shame, Elizabeth knew she had her answer. A light scoff escaped her and she rolled her eyes with a shake of her head. "Yeah, that's what I thought," Elizabeth said, tightly. She raised her gaze to look Dante straight in the eye. "None of you know me. None of you, so don't you dare get righteous with me over my perceived wrongs against all things Spencer. If you think that Lulu and Lucky deserve to know that I'm home, then you can tell them because as far as I'm concerned, they aren't a part of my life anymore and never will be again."

Dante's mouth opened, and shut several times.

Elizabeth sniffed, drawing herself up to her full height. "And just in case anyone expresses disbelief with my story, you can call Detective Quentin Lance. He works for the Starling Police department, and was one of the people who helped rescue me from that evil old witch, and if that's all, Dante?" She turned and swept off. She didn't have time to waste on people like him that thought their own shit didn't stink.

* * *

Carly Corinthos Jax stood behind the bar, looking at new colors for the hotel. It was time for another renovation to keep the place update and modern. She was putting together several color scheme to run by the decorator when an angry gutter rat came storming up to her. Said gutter rat and former bane of her existence was Sam McCall. "What do you want, Sam? I don't have time for you imaginary drama. Some people actually work for a living," Carly sniped at the brunette before Sam could even say anything.

Sam glared for all of a second, before she let Carly's comments run over her like water. "I run my own PI business, Carly," Sam stated, with a frown.

"Yeah, and when's the last time you took a case and actually made some money isn't of living off Jason's?" Carly smirked. She always loved needling Sam. It was one of her favorite past times.

Sam rolled her eyes, with a huff. "Well, I guess that you don't want to know who's back in town…" the brunette said, slowly.

Carly paused, and looked up at Sam. "Who? Who is back in town?" The blond said, setting the paint swatches down on the counter top.

"Only the other person you hate more than me," Sam smiled, love knowing something before Carly and it was just a bonus that it would ruin her day. Also it would send the blond into a rampage right into Elizabeth's direction, and help keep the other brunette far from Jason. "Elizabeth Webber."

There was a moment.

"WHAT?" Carly shrieked.

Sam just arched an amused brow.

"This had better be a joke," Carly hissed out, her face taunt with anger. "Oh, no, even you know better than to joke about something like Elizabeth Webber. So the bitch is back? Well, if she thinks she can just waltz back into town after what she did to Lucky, and to Jason, to leave them with the fallout of Jake's death…" The blond face was red with fury and it was no wonder everyone called her Hurricane Carly.

"Oh, she's saying Helena Cassadine kidnapped her to make her life hell," Sam stated, with obvious disbelief. "Like she would bother with a little nobody like Elizabeth."

Carly paused, her expression twisted. "Ugh. I can't believe I'm going to say this…but that sounds like something Helena would do, and she hates Elizabeth. Possibly more than us."

"You believe it?" Sam looked appalled.

"I never said that. I said it could be true, but true or not, you know what she is going to do," Carly said, her upper lip curled. "She'll use to lure Jason with her damsel in distress attitude, and we cannot let that happen."

"I agree," Sam said, coldly. "That's why I already have a plan."

Carly narrowed her eyes slightly. "I'm listening."

* * *

Elizabeth had left Dante without another word after his attempt to…she didn't know what he attempted to do. Shame her into talking to the Spencers? She had long since repaid any debt, imaginary or otherwise, to that family and she wouldn't be suckered back in. Not especially since Helena wouldn't have taken her in the first place if it hadn't been for the connection she shared with that family. She caught the sight of Monica out of the corner of her eyes, and snuck past the woman. She did not want to deal with her anymore than she already had today.

If the woman didn't understand it was Jason's place to inform her of Jake being her grandson, and believed all the stuff Sam said without a shred of doubt then that was on her. Not Elizabeth. She made it to the end of the hallway outside of the locker room when her cellphone went off. Pulling it out, she flipped it open and said, "Hello?"

" _Hey, sis, I just wanted to check in on you,"_ Sarah replied, cheerfully. _"How are things going in Port Hell?"_

Elizabeth bit back a smile. "As well as you'd expect. You know I must have done something in a past life really horrible because guess who the first people I end up running into were?"

" _Lucky and Siobhan?"_

"Worse."

A gasp. _"The borg and the skank?"_

"Ugh. When you say it like that it makes me think of some kind of weird Star Wars porn," Elizabeth made a face and shuddered dramatically.

" _Star Trek, honey. Get your scfi epics right now."_

A light snort escaped her, and she just shook her head. Staring up at the poster for the dangers of having high blood pressure when pregnant, she leaned against the wall. "How is Cameron doing?" Elizabeth asked, worried.

" _He's good,"_ Sarah replied, with a smile in her voice. _"He misses you, that's obvious. But his soccer games are keeping him busy, and Hal is so good with him."_

The obvious affection in Sarah's sigh when she said Hal's-her boyfriend's name-made Elizabeth smile widely. "Careful, Sarah. You keep talking about Hal in that tone of voice, and I might be expecting a niece or nephew soon," she teased, with a chuckle.

Sarah laughed, brightly. _"But…"_ she brought her voice low to a conspiratorially whisper _, "between you and me? Sometimes…I don't think I would mind. I never thought I would say that. I never thought of having kids, not with anyone else, but Hal…he makes me think about those things."_

"I'm happy for you, Sarah," Elizabeth told her, and meant it. The rough past between the two of them had been settled when she had been pregnant with Cameron, though no many knew that. The two sisters had finally matured to see past the petty hatred bred by their parents who hadn't cared enough to be there for either of them. "Oh, shit."

" _What? What?"_ Sarah squawk out panicked.

"Lucky," Elizabeth said, out with a hiss. She ducked behind one of the large fake plants when she caught sight of him stepping out of the elevator. She was stricken with all the anger that she had buried deep within her at the sight of him. How he had a made the choice to take Jake off of life support, the child he so 'kindly' raised in Jason's stead or so he would everyone believe. A bitter taste was on her tongue and she knew that if he spotted her and came over that she couldn't guarantee that she wouldn't end up killing him.

" _Elizabeth, perhaps you should leave the hospital,"_ Sarah suggested, quietly. _"It seems that you are running into a lot of people that it would be best to avoid right now given…the side effects and all."_

"I just have one more thing to do, then I'll be out of here," Elizabeth promised, with a hush tone. "I'll talk to you later."

" _You better, or I'm calling you know who,"_ Sarah threatened, and wasn't playing in the slightest.

Elizabeth made a noise of agreement before she flipped the phone shut and ducked into the locker room. It was empty, thank goodness for small favors. She raked her eye across the room that had at one time been her sanctuary when things got tough, where she could take a breath and pull herself back together. Now, it did nothing for her.

This whole hospital conjured up feelings and memories of that night she had failed her youngest child. Maybe it would be different if things had turned out differently, but Elizabeth couldn't allow herself to think like that. She had harden herself against all the pain and use it to keep her going forward.

She took a deep breath and walked towards her old locker. She ran her fingertips across the cold metal, and she knew that they were too stupid to bother covering their tracks. That's what happens when egos got involved. Their arrogance led to mistakes, and Elizabeth was going to take advantage of that. Pulling the locker open was no hardship since it hadn't been reassigned just yet, so their was no padlock on it. Elizabeth leaned down to peer all around the inside of the locker and knew that since she hadn't found it amongst the items Epiphany had given her then it was most likely in here.

Just as she reached in, a voice came from behind her.

"What are you doing in here?"

Elizabeth craned her head slowly to look over her shoulder and found Dr. Britt Westbourne standing there with a brow arched and a suspicious look on her face.

* * *

 **END OF CHAPTER!**

 **So much happened in this chapter, and I played how everyone was nonchalant about Helena's involvement in Elizabeth's kidnapping off the way Jake returned seven months to GH. Next chapter:** _Elizabeth makes an ally, while old enemies show up, and the Ebony Arrow declared war on the mob._ **Hope you all enjoyed!**

 **Rrs are appreciated.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing from General Hospital. This is for amusement only.

 **Summary:** "I am a mother looking for justice for her son." Elizabeth Webber takes matters into her own hands to get Jake justice and punish those behind the accident.

 **Timeline:** Set right after Jake's accident.

 **Things You Need to Know:** This is very AU. There are things that I have changed about the history because one I did not like them, or I don't have time to address them in the story that I have set up. The Niz affair did happened, but Liz wasn't engaged or dating Lucky. Lucky still felt betrayed, and still treats Liz horrible. There was no pregnancy storyline that followed. Liz didn't try to get back with either Lucky or Nic, but has been single and happy with her boys, Jake and Cameron. Rest of history is as follows.

 **Pairings:** Elizabeth/Unknown, Nicolas/Britt. Other pairings to be determined.

 **Warning:** This is heavy angst. There will be lighter moments, but this is about a woman driven to the edge that has to matters into her own hands to ensure the safety of her children. If you are looking for happy endings, you aren't going to get them very much here. There might be little to no romance, because I'm not sure if I'm going to pair Liz with anyone. Not even Jason. If you are a Sam fan this is not the fic for you. I'm bringing back the 2007 psycho Sam, so you have been warned. Lucky is getting his, I always hated how they had him act like Liz did him wrong (which admittedly she did), but in the three times that Lucky cheated on Liz, she never treated him the way the writer's wrote him treat her. I see JJ portraying him because he was the one yelling and spewing hate at Elizabeth. Several others will also be getting karma that's coming to them, while others get a bit of redemption and a chance at growth.

 **I want to thank,** Ember1313, NaxieFan48, immcarthy, mif456, Bryantk82, brae76, trini12180, Bettyboop48748, lilnudger82 **, you for all the favs.**

 **I want to thank,** Ember1313, NaxieFan48, kcke2pen, leeleelayla5, mif456, Bryantk82, Wonderwomom, brae76, fundays, narnia365, ravenb, trini12180, Bettyboop48748, The ChicaChic, lilnudger82, Twisted Musalih, Bjq, SoapOperaEmpress **, you for all the follows.**

 **I want to thank,** Guest, kcke2pen, lilnudger82, arcoiris0502, Ember1313, leeleelayla5, LiasonLuv, trini12180, Bjq, Twisted Musalih, CCBTH, Spiritkit, S, Sarah, lrobinson01 **, you for all the reviews.**

 **Guest Reviews:**

 **Guest:** Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the last one. :D

 **LiasonLuv:** An arrow should definitely find itself in the Spencers. They do deserve, but I think they're revenge won't be so straight forward. Trust me, they'll get theirs. *wink wink*

 **S:** I try to always answers all reviews, if I can. Sometimes when I'm sick or in a rush, a few go without reply, but I do really try. Thank you so much for your review. I'm glad you like how Liz handled Monica, and I always felt they needed that. Monica was downright horrible to Liz after Jake's death and kissed Jasam's ass at the same time. It never settled right with me that Monica would do that to Emily's best friend. Oh, if Dante had been anyone else Liz would have slapped him, but I see Dante as the male Liz. He has Spencer colored glasses on at this time, and can't see them for the hyprocrites that they were. From the talks, I think we will get the "take no shit" Liz on the screen soon. Fingers crossed. I know that the show used Sarah as a way to get Liz out of PC, but I think Liz deserves some family that actually has her back. One time I actually loved Sarah was how she was there for Liz during the rape storyline. How she held Liz after Liz told her what happened was the first time Sarah really treated Liz like her sister. Of course, they recasted her and made back into a b#*ch times ten to resurrect the Liz/Lucky/Sarah triangle after Lucky returned from the dead. Rebecca Budig would have been phenomenal as Sarah, and it is a waste on a new character. I've heard rumors that the former Carly, Tamara or Sarah Brown might be brought on as Sarah.

 **Sarah:** Thank you so much for the review. Yes, I wish that Liz would get back her backbone on the show. (With how she handled Haychel, I think she just might have gotten it back so fingers crossed that Lizzie is there to stay.) I'm glad that you like the story. And I agree. They've made Sam too goody-goody like she has done no wrong. Before she even knew about the lie, Sam was nasty to Liz so I don't think she has changed as much as they pretend she has.

 **SONGS THAT INSPIRED THIS CHAPTER:**

" _Something's coming, something's on it's way,_

 _Mountains are crumbling-like statues of clay,_

 _Something's on it's way." -Into the Darkness_ **, by the Phantom**

* * *

 **CHAPTER THREE**

" **Into the Darkness"**

To say the Jackal was frustrated was the understatement of the extreme kind. He had dutifully started working on retracing the Maternal One's steps since the night of little Stone Cold's accident. With a orange soda in hand, he had managed to recover deleted video footage of Helena Cassadine sneaking into General Hospital that night with two bodyguards and they had left within an hour, with a body. No doubt the Maternal One unconscious. That had been relatively easy.

The hard part? Was figuring out where they went after that. He had hacked into several buildings camera feeds, and only half of them kept footage for more than six months. He managed to catch Helena on an airport security, and he tried to see if perhaps where she had gone from there when it happened. He had been _blocked_ when he tried to pull any records or manifests. Spinelli stared at the computer for several seconds in shock, before he tried to get into them once again.

And again he hit a brick wall.

Determination filled, and he worked tirelessly only to come up with nothing. Well, not nothing, but something that only made things more alarming than before. The only way that this could be happening and in this way was that _someone_ was _intentionally_ blocking him. He licked his lips, eyes narrowed at the screen as he tried to come up with another strategy when Maxie came storming into the penthouse. "You will not believe what I just happened," the blond was building up her righteous fury as she waited for him to guess.

"Um…" Spinelli's eyes widened. "What?"

"Kate fired me! Me!" Maxie was outraged.

Spinelli relaxed. He thought she had found out about Elizabeth's return, which was bound to rile up the blond. He didn't understand Maxie's harbored hatred for Elizabeth. Spinelli loved Maxie, he truly did. But sometimes, he could see the spiteful blond that she had been when he first came to Port Charles. "I'm so sorry, ," Spinelli said, closing his computer slowly and setting down his drink. He didn't want to draw any attention to it. "I know how much you loved working at the magazine."

"Loved it?" Maxie gave him a look before she flopped down on the couch beside him. "I more than loved it, Spinelli! It was my life, and now it's gone! I can't believe Kate did this! I mean, do you know how many hours of my life I dedicated to working at Crimson? How many hours I spent fighting on the phone with clients, or getting her coffee? Coffee, mind you, not from Kelly's. No, she only drinks the stuff from the Knot a Coffee Shop that's an hour away. Do you know how long it took me to figure out a way to keep that coffee hot on the drive back?"

Spinelli opened his mouth, but Maxie quickly continued her rant, "I just don't get! I was good at my job, Spinelli! I was amazing at it! But today Kate brought me in there and fired me on the spot!"

"Did…the Fashionista…explain the reason for her decision?" Spinelli asked, his head tilted to the side.

"Only to say that I was no longer the right fit for Crimson since new investors came on and that is was better for my future in fashion, if I pursued other employment," Maxie stated, her voice filled with disdain. She blinked back tears, too angry to let them fall and show how this truly devastated her. "I don't understand it, Spinelli! Everything was perfectly fine yesterday, and now…"

Spinelli opened his mouth then faltered. "While the Jackal is not the most best with words, I am sorry that this happened, Fair Maximista and if there is anything I could do to help please let me know."

Maxie mulled over it before determination glinted in her eyes. "Help me find out why Kate really fired me," she stated, firmly.

"Maximista," Spinelli said, slowly.

"You said you wanted to help, this would help! Even if it's for a legit reason that Kate fired me, I have to know," Maxie said, looking him straight in the eyes. She leaned into him, and her bottom lip trembled. "Please, Spinelli, it will drive me crazy not knowing."

Spinelli knew well enough to know that she was playing with his emotions to get him to feel guilty and give in. It was working, and he let it. With a heavy sigh, he nodded, "As you wish."

* * *

Britt Westbourne stood there with her arms crossed over her chest and stared down at Elizabeth Webber with a curious glare. "What are you doing here?" Britt demanded, repeating herself.

Elizabeth paused. She debated lying for a moment, even had a good plausible one thought up but the tossed the idea out of the window. This woman didn't strike her as one to have the wool pulled so easily over her eyes. "Hiding from my ex-husband actually. He thinks that he has a right to have an opinion in how I run my life now that I'm back," she stated, easily. She didn't pull her hands away from the locker, just simply waited to see what the good doctor would do next.

"And the reason you're fondling the inside of an empty locker?" Britt snorted, the corner of her mouth quirked upward.

"It's my old locker," Elizabeth replied, without batting an eye. She hadn't moved a muscle since the other woman had entered the room, and she felt that gnawing in her stomach. The irrational burn of anger and rage that tingled just underneath her skin. She choked it back the best she could because it wasn't her, and the last thing she wanted to do was attack a woman who had every reason to be suspicious of a former nurse sulking about the empty locker room.

"Okay…" Britt said, slowly. "That doesn't exactly answer the question."

Elizabeth worked her jaw slowly, then ran a speculative eye over Britt. There was an internal debate that worked through her mind in several seconds, and it was not an easy decision to come to. All her instinct were screaming distrust, but she also knew that with the way Monica was acting she could very well be banned from the hospital. She didn't know if she would get another chance to search the locker again, and breaking into the hospital was not a challenge she wanted to add to her ever growing list. "How well can you keep a secret?" She asked, after a long moment of internal debate. _Would it be not better to make an ally, than an enemy? I already have enough of those,_ she thought, wryly.

Britt's eyebrows shot upward. "What makes you think I would keep a secret for you? I barely know you," she commented, her tone nonchalantly. However, her interest was slightly piqued and her mother always said she was too curious for her own good. Besides, there was something about the brunette that Britt could relate to, and there wasn't many people that she could say that about.

"I'll owe you a favor," Elizabeth said, flatly.

"What kind of favor could a former General Hospital nurse do for me?" Britt asked, rather skeptically. She walked over until she was a foot away from the nurse, and cocked her head to the side. Britt was a sucker for drama though she would never admit it, and from what she could tell that this woman had it in spades. That's why she hadn't gone straight to security and told them about this. Also Dr. Quartermaine did not offer her enough to worry about anyone that shouldn't be roaming the halls.

"You'd be surprised," was all Elizabeth would say. She left the ball in Britt's court, and she had to admit she wonder what the other woman would decide.

Britt mulled over it, then relaxed. "Alright. You've piqued my interest so I'll bite," Britt stated, with a smirk. "But I warn you, my silence won't come cheap."

"Silence rarely does," Elizabeth said, turning back to the locker. She ran her fingers over the lip of the locker carefully to leave no nook or cranny left untouched. Her lips were pursed in concentration, and that's when her fingertips brushed an obstruction. It was small, tiny thing. Easily overlooked unless one was looking for it; grasping it between her forefinger and thumb, Elizabeth tugged until it came free. "There you are."

"What the hell is that?" Britt frowned.

"It's a bug," Elizabeth said, her eyes narrowed at the small piece of technology. Just another piece to the truth behind Jake's death, and another step closer to his real killer.

* * *

Jason stepped in the coffee shop that was the front for Sonny's business, and he immediately could feel the tension in the air. His eyes flickered to Max who stood guard outside of Sonny's office, and the Italian had a sickly color to his skin. "Sonny in?" Jason questioned.

Max hesitated. "He is, but Jason…" The Italian licked his lips and his eyes darted nervously towards the door. "He's…he's in one of his moods."

Jason frown deepened. He had noticed Sonny's outburst had been growing more frequent and worse with the passing months. He had been wondering if the man was still taking his medicine, but he hadn't had the time to address it with everything that was going on. With Jake's accident, Elizabeth disappearance, then Carly insisting that he have a child with Sam and so much else. He pushed open the door and stepped into the office. "You needed to see me, Sonny?"

"We have a problem," Sonny bit out. His jaw was clenched tight and he sat at his chair with his eyes staring out sightlessly at the walls. "Last night the mayor was attacked, and whoever attacked him wanted information on me."

Frustration darted up his spine and coiled in his neck. "Sonny, I told you that dealing with the Mayor was a bad idea," Jason said, shaking his head.

"I know what you said!" Sonny snapped, then closed his eyes. He took in a haggard breath, and ran his hands down his face before he opened his eyes. "I know what you said," he repeated, his voice strained with effort to be calm. "But that doesn't matter right now. What matters is that the person who attacked him made off with several files that implicate the Mayor in underhanded dealings. Most of them with us."

"Shit," Jason cursed.

"I need you to get Spinelli, get him on this right away and find the bastard who did this and deal with the. Or we could be both be facing a lot of trouble," Sonny stated, grimly.

Jason didn't say outloud that there was nothing in those files that implicated him, just Sonny. However, there was a sallow color to Sonny's skin and heavy bags around his too black eyes. "Alright, I'll look into this," he said, not fighting with other man. He would have Spinelli look into this as well while he also would go talk to Kate Howard, Sonny's current girlfriend. If anyone would know if Sonny had stopped taking his medicine then she would.

* * *

Elizabeth held the bug between her fingers with a mixture of burning rage and dark satisfaction swirling in the pit of her stomach. So she had been right. Arrogance had made them very sloppy, and that would be their downfall. They thought her some weak, fragile flower that was alone and that no one would truly miss. They were going to regret ever believing that. Elizabeth's jaw clenched tightly, her eyes narrowed on the seemingly innocent little piece of technology.

"When you say bug, I'm guessing not of the insect variety," Britt stated, her frown deepening.

"You're not wrong," Elizabeth stated, her voice strained.

Britt eyes swept over her face, and noticed all the blood had drained from her face. "Are you alright? You're looking a bit pale," Britt said, after a moment of hesitant.

"I'm fine." Elizabeth said, too quickly. Squaring her shoulders, she met the doctor's disbelieving stare and amended her statement. "I'm _going_ to be fine. And thank you."

Britt's eyebrows shot up. "For what?"

"For not running for security when you first saw me in here," Elizabeth explained, curling her fingers around the bug and held it tight in the palm of her hand.

"Well, don't thank me yet," Britt said, shifting uncomfortably. She wasn't used to people thanking her for anything. "You owe me after all."

"You have my thanks regardless," Elizabeth said, smoothly. "I'll tell Patrick to give you my number. You are going to need it if you're ever going to call in said favor. Now, if you'll excuse me I really would like to get out of here. It's not my favorite place to be."

"Is it anyone's?" Britt asked, sardonically. She followed the tiny brunette out of the locker room because honestly she had nothing better to do on her break. The food here was shit, and there wasn't enough time for her to run to Kelly's and grab something.

"Maybe not," Elizabeth admitted, after a moment. "But it holds…bad memories for me. Really bad memories. Things I really should just deal with head on, but can't bring myself to right now."

"Oh." Britt said.

Elizabeth pressed the elevator button, and the doors slid open. She walked into the elevator door, and turned around to face Britt. "I guess this is where we leave each other," she said, with a slight smirk of her face. "Until next time."

As Britt watched the door slid shut, she wondered why that sounded more ominous than it should. With a shrug of her shoulders, she looked around and sighed. "Well, at least, this town isn't boring."

* * *

Dusk had fallen over Port Charles. The normal legal night activities stayed close to the Haunting Star or Jake's. The less than legal? That was down at the docks where the underhand deals were tricks of the trade, and the seedy underbelly of Port Charles festered like a plague. The streets were almost bare save for the scantily clad woman that pulled the older married man into the alleyway; he paid well for her time. The water lapped at the edge of the docks, the current choppy and untamed. Everyone knew to stay away from there, unless you had business with the mob.

And the Ebony Arrow had business with the mob.

The dark hooded hero stood on the edge of the rooftop, the shadows concealed them from plain sight as they watched the storage house. Watched as the workers secured the place up tight and left for the night. With a quick breath, the Ebony Arrow scaled down the side of the building using the large pipe that ran down to the ground. Feet hit the ground soundlessly and the Ebony pulled the encrypted from their belt. Sliding the small device open, the Ebony Arrow knelt down in front of the alarm panel that was to the right of the door.

Remembering what the Arrow had been taught, it took her only a handful of moment to break the code and the alarm flashed green. The lock clicked open, and the Ebony Arrow ducked into the warehouse. Shelves were lined from wall to wall, and towered overhead. Bags of coffee were out the open, nothing incriminating to say the least. However, there were large crates in the middle of the room that had been completely left untouched.

The Ebony Arrow shook their head. Sonny had been erratic in his behavior and how he handled his business. He was in the height of his mania, standing on the edge of the inevitable fall of depression that would follow. Right now he felt invincible and untouchable. His arrogance showed greatly, and the Ebony Arrow picked the crowbar neatly tucked away on the shelf. Slammed the crowbar into the edge of the crate, the Ebony Arrow cracked open the crate and shoved the lid off to the side just a little.

At first glance, there was nothing but coffee bags with straw as insulation. The Ebony Arrow made a noise in the back of their throat before they shoved one of the bags out of the way and saw what laid beneath.

Guns and drugs.

The very things that Sonny swore he would never run through Port Charles streets all nicely packaged and hidden inside beneath the bags of coffee. The Ebony Arrow held one of the guns up to eye level and shook their head in disgust. _"So much for the mobster with morals,"_ the Ebony Arrow scoffed, and put the gun back down into the crate. The hero had intended to blow this place sky high, but this called for a change of plans.

But first things first, she needed the shipment logs.

That's when the flash of headlights cut through the night and shined in through the large windows. _"Shit,"_ Ebony cursed, a little too loud. Pulling the grappling gun from her belt, the hero pointed up at the beams above and was out of sight just in time for the door to open up.

"I knew that Joey would forget to lock up," a man snorted, shaking his head. "Boss is going to pissed."

"Think he'll end up sleeping with the fishes?" Another man followed him in.

"Really, Mark?" The first man chuckled. "Sleeping with fishes?"

"Shut it," Mark snapped.

" _Thugs with guns. Lovely,"_ the Ebony Arrow said, underneath their breath. This made things more complicated and more dangerous. However, it wasn't impossible. Drawing a deep breath, the Ebony Arrow watched because they knew they only had one chance for this. Ebony waited until the two men approached the crate, and dropped down.

Right onto Mark's back.

Mark let out a startled yelp as he crumpled to the ground underneath the sudden weight, and the other man whirled around with wide eyes. The Ebony Arrow leapt forward, with a well aimed punch straight to his gut and the man doubled over. As he clutched his stomach, Ebony dropped their elbow right onto the back of his neck and he fell from the ground gasping in pain.

Twisting around Ebony saw Mark stumbled to his feet, and had his gun in his shaky grip. In one fluid motion, an arrow was fired and sliced the back of his hand. He cried out, and the gun dropped to the ground. It went off and Ebony startled just a fraction, unprepared for it.

The other man had managed to get to his feet, and tackled Ebony from behind. They both fell into the concrete floor with a thud. Ebony growled, kicking back with their foot right into his knee and his grip loosened. An elbow to the gut, and Ebony managed to throw him off. The Ebony Arrow rolled to their feet, and pulled out something from their belt. Before the two men got a chance to attack again, Ebony tossed the small dart like device right at them. It stuck to the front of their shirts then crackled with electricity sending them both to the ground in spasms. A few seconds, later they were both out cold.

" _Well,"_ the Ebony Arrow sighed, _"that could have went better."_

Ebony shook their head, and went over to the office door. It took a half a minute to unlock, and the incriminating files weren't all that hard to find if one knew what they were looking for. Taking the files, she stepped over Sonny's men and out the door only to stop at the payphone at the corner.

Pressing the operating button, she waited patiently until the voice came over the line. _"There been a shoot out down at the docks. Pier 53. You should hurry,"_ was all the Ebony Arrow said before letting the phone fall from hand and it fell almost hitting the ground. It swung back and forth like pendulum as the frantic operator's voice echoed into the night.

* * *

Jason's temples throbbed and ached.

He got a call of Sonny that honestly couldn't have better timing. Carly had once again barged her way into his penthouse and had started talking about Jake of all things. Jason mourned his son, but most of all, he mourned the time wasted that he could have spent getting to know his son. Looking back on it, the danger just was an excuse. An excuse to not give all of himself to a relationship, because he was afraid of being left broken like last time.

Jason had listened for a few moments because Carly talked about Jocelyn and how grateful she was to Lucky and Jason for their sacrifice. He wasn't entirely sure what brought this on, until Carly said that he should have a child with Sam to get over the loss of Jake. To _replace_ Jake. That she would even carry it for them if she had to.

Jason couldn't believe what Carly had just said. That she, as a mother, could even think that one child could replace another. He felt anger burst through is veins, but before he could even shoot Carly down, he got the call from Sonny. He couldn't have been more relieved to have the excuse to leave, but his relief was short lived when he heard the sound of glass shattering as soon as he entered Sonny's office.

Sonny paced back and forth, furiously. His scotch glass laid in remnants on the floor and Max looked like a deer caught in headlights. "What is going on?" Jason demanded, glaring at Sonny.

"What's going on? What's going on?" Sonny's voice rose several octaves as he whirled around to face his business partner. "One our warehouse were attacked by some psycho that thinks they are Robin Hood."

"What?" Jason blinked. He looked towards Max for an explanation.

"Well, uh," Max was flustered. "All I got out of the men before the police hauled them off was that a person dressed as Robin Hood in black attacked them. Like with arrows and all."

Jason's eyes narrowed. "The police hauled them away?"

"Shortly after the men were incapacitated, a call was placed from a nearby payphone and reports of shots being fired at the docks…the police were already there by the time Milo and I went to investigate," Max explained, looking everywhere, but at Sonny. "Mark, one of dock workers, had an unregistered gun on him. Also one of the crates were open and the police…found guns and drugs."

"What? We don't ship guns or drugs," Jason snapped, then his blue eyes flickered to Sonny. Surely he didn't. Even when he had descended into his moods before, he had never agreed to let those run through Port Charles. "We don't, do we, Sonny?" His voice turned cold.

Sonny held his eyes for a moment, then swallowed. "Of course not," he said, his jaw clenched tightly.

Jason felt his heart fall into the pit of his stomach. He had known Sonny for several years, and had learned all his tells a long time. Sonny was lying, and Jason pinched the bridge of his nose with a sigh when the office door slammed open.

Milo was breathing heavily and had a wild look on his face. "Boss, we…have a…problem," the Italian said, taking a breath every other word.

"What now?" Jason asked.

"The police are here," Milo said, right before Detective Delores walked in with two officers behind her.

"Sonny Corinthos?" Delores said, her voice like steel.

Sonny narrowed his eyes, then told Jason, "Call Diane. Tell her to meet us down at the station." He then turned his attention back to the detective. "I am not saying anything without my lawyer."

"You don't have to say anything, at all. Sonny Corinthos you are under arrest for weapons and drug trafficking. You have the right to remain silent," Delores began to speak after gesturing for an officer to go cuff him. "Anything you say can and will be held against you in a court of law. If you cannot afford an attorney one will be appointed to you. Do you understand—?"

"I got it," Sonny growled, as the handcuffs were snapped tight around his wrists. "You are going to regret this."

"Oh, I don't think I will," Delores countered, with an eyebrow arched.

Jason frowned. He didn't understand why only Sonny was arrested. Surely, they would jump at the chase to arrest him, too. He followed the officers outside with Milo and Max on his heels to watch as Sonny being eased into the back seat of the police car when it all happened.

The Coffee House exploded. Everyone was knocked off their feet by the blast, and the noise was deafening. Jason gritted his teeth, rolling over onto his back as ash and debris fell down onto the asphalt and stared at the flames burning away at all that remained.

* * *

Forty five minutes later, the Ebony Arrow used the grappling gun to pull themselves back to the 7th floor balcony of room 204 of the hotel and slipped back into the room as quietly as they had slipped out. Sliding the glass door closed behind them, the Ebony Arrow carefully scanned the room and after being certain it was secure, the Ebony Arrow pulled off the hood and Elizabeth Webber drew in much needed breath.

She stood there several moments, before she made her way to the bathroom. She dropped her bow to the floor and spat up in the sink. Grabbing the towel, she wiped her face clear before she met her reflection's gaze. "The hands of the healer are always the bloodiest," she whispered out, her gaze flickered to the picture of Jake she had taped to the mirror. A reminder for why she had to do what she had to do.

Her gloved finger tip touched the picture. "I'm sorry I wasn't there, baby. I should have been there. I should have been the one that made the choice…not Lucky, not Jason," her voice cracked, and her lips trembled. It took her several seconds to harden her heart against the pain that threatened to take hold and overwhelm her. "Helena has already paid, sweetheart, and soon all those working with her will, too. I promise, Jake. I won't let them get away with what they did. Never again."

The creaking of the door opening interrupted her somber moment, and Elizabeth's spine stiffened. She craned her head around slowly, and knelt down silently to retrieve her bow from the tile floor. She drew an arrow from her quiver and pulled it back before she crept into the room. Her breath was held in her throat, and she caught the moment of a shadow on the far wall. Gritting her teeth together, she darted into the room and aimed her arrow.

"Don't shoot!" The blond threw up her left hand up in surrender while the other kept her laptop securely held to her chest.

Elizabeth reeled back with recognition at the voice, and after a moment lowered the bow. "Felicity?"

* * *

 **END OF CHAPTER!**

 **Next Chapter:** Sam and Carly put their plan into motion, Elizabeth gets visitor, Spinelli confronts Kate, and a truth is revealed.

 **Author's Note:** _I don't deal with trolls. I don't troll anyone, I don't allow anyone to troll me. I respect your right to like or hate a character, just like I expect you to respect my right to love or hate a character. This is a clearly Elizabeth pro fanfic, if the summary and the warnings above have not made that clear enough. Also this AU, and everything after Jake's death is null and void. It hasn't happened in this story so don't blast me for not bringing up something that happened on the show in 2013 when this story is set back in 2011. If you don't have a life beyond going onto fan fiction to be angry at a FICTIONAL character, then you have problems that you need to get off the internet and away from the computer to fix. You get snotty with my story for something that has NOTHING do with my story, then you get blocked and reported for Spam because that bull is sure as hell not constructive criticism. Otherwise, I'll let bygones be bygones. Sorry, I needed to vent and get this out of my system._

 **Rrs are appreciated. :D**


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I own nothing from General Hospital, DC Comics, Marvel Comics, or Arrow. I own nothing from any of these shows, this is for amusement purposes only.

Summary: Elizabeth Webber is in search of justice for her son, and to right past wrongs. Yet danger stalks her steps, and old enemies never know when to stay gone.

I want to thank, Ember1313, NaxieFan48, McCarthy, mif456, Bryantk82, brae76, trini12180, Bettyboop48748, lilnudger82, CCBTH, Doreen769, Spiritkit, rockrose, jayblair77731, QUEENADDEK, retired lady, arcoiris0502, starlight guardian, Wonderwomom, ImLuvinMyThesaurus, Meghie03, SlytherinQueen020, chriswrites99, CandyHearts22, Godricsgrl89, blondinkris, for the favs.

I want to thank, Ember1313, NaxieFan48, kceke2pen, leeleelay5, mif456, Bryantk82, Wonderwomom, brae76, fun days, narnia365, ravenb, trini12180, Bettyboop48748, TheChicaChic, lilnudger82, Twisted Musalih, Bqj, SoapOperaEMpress, arcoiris0502, bookfreak25, CCBTH, Doreen769, Spiritkit, aphass, rockrose, jayblair7731, lrobinson01, QUEENADDEK, retired lady, Liasonisthebomb, Princessdiana516, sherimi, SlytherinQueen020, chriswrites99, Gemini18, CandyHearts22, Godricgrl89, blondinkris, rosyronni, for the follows.

And I want to give a special thanks to, Godricgrl89, Candyhearts22, Guest, SlytherinQueen020, sherimi, CCBTH, S, Ember1313, Guest, Liasonisthebomb, arociris0502, lrobinson01, LiasonLuv, leeleelayla5, QUEENADDEK, leas mom, Bjq, Liasonfan75, lilnudger82, Guest, Twisted Musalih, C, retired lady, kckepen, trini12180, fundays, narnia365 for the reviews.

Thank you all, you are truly wonderful.

Guest Reviews:

C: Thank you so much! :D

Guest: Thanks!

leasmom: Thank you so much for the review.

LiasonLuv: Thank you. I liked the shock factor of Sonny already having to face his world starting to crumble, and then to have his coffee house blow up? It was an opportunity that I couldn't pass up.

Guest: There will be backstory, but right now it's building up the characters and the story. :D

S: Thank you so much. I don't mind taking time to answer the reviews when I have the time. Sometimes I skip a few because lack of time, but I always try. Yes, I thought Monica was too much of hypocrite at this time. Jason was her son, the truth about Jake should have came from him. Not Elizabeth. Yes, there is something more to Elizabeth's reaction, her anger and what's behind. *wink wink* Jason will get a chew out, don't worry, but since Jake's death, he is starting to look at things clearer than ever before.

Guest: Thanks! :D

Pairings: Elizabeth/?, Jason/?, Britt/Nicolas, more pending

NOTE: I want to apologize for the update, but my other computer completely stopped working. I don't know if any data is salvageable yet, but luckily I had some back ups for my writing. Not my most recent stuff, but some, so it is something. I always want you all to know this will story will be completed by chapter ten to fifteen, but the story won't end. There will be sequels and spin offs and a lot more hero crossovers to come. Also if you are a Sam fan, or a Lucky fan, this is not for you. Just click the back button. You have been warned.

Chapter Inspired by: "Gasoline" by Airspoken (A Hasley Cover)

"Magnetic" by Jessie J

"War of Change" by Thousand Foot Krutch

* * *

" _You can't wake up,_

 _This is not a dream,_

 _You are part of a machine,_

 _You are not a human being,_

 _With your face all made up,_

 _Living on a scream."_

 _-Gasoline, Hasley (Airspoken Cover)_

* * *

 **CHAPTER FOUR**

" **That Taste of Gasoline"**

* * *

"Felicity?" Elizabeth asked, incredulous. Her eyes brows shot up into her hairline, and she stared at the blond in complete shock. Her heart beat was thundering in her chest, and she took deep, harsh breaths.

"Not to be pushy or anything, but I don't suppose you could lower that," Felicity said, with one hand in the air while the other held her laptop close to her chest. Her eyes were wide on the arrow pointed in her direction, and she added, hesitantly, "Please?"

Elizabeth dropped the bow, relaxing her grip on the arrow. "What…what are you doing here?" She asked, confused. "Has something happened in Starling?"

"No, no," Felicity shook her head. "We're all good. Well, for right now. Oliver thought you'd need some help setting up here, and he sent me. Personally, I think he just wants me out of the line of fire with all that's going on, and you know how overprotective he can be."

"Well, he has his reasons," Elizabeth said, softly.

"I know, but sometimes…" Felicity sighed, heavily. "He's always trying to be there for all of us, I just wished he'd for once let us be there for him."

Elizabeth could understand from personal experience what Felicity was going through. She had felt the same way towards Jason. He was always picking up everyone else's messes, and he never allowed any to truly be there for him. Sometimes, she wished she could be that person, but after everything…she didn't think she could do that for him. Not now. "I understand, but somehow I don't think that's what you want to talk about," she said, setting her bow down on the bed and pulling the bow case from underneath the bed. It looked like a large suitcase to avoid suspicion.

"No," Felicity said, quietly. She watched as Elizabeth locked her bow and arrows away, and put the case back out of plain sight. "Another reason Oliver sent me was because someone has been digging into the last few months of your life. Someone who is pretty decent with computers."

Elizabeth paused, then made a noise in the back of her throat like a growl. "Jason," Elizabeth sighed, aggravated. She stared to work off her armor, and glared at everything in her eyesight. "He must have had Spinelli look into it. On a scale from one to ten, how worried are you?"

"A four, maybe a five," Felicity replied, honestly. "I can keep him from finding out, I'm about 94.8% sure of that. Right now, I've buried him in a maze of useless information that'll he'll have troubled getting out of for a while. That gives me a little leeway to set up security at your base. I talked Oliver out of having it set up underneath the club, and we having it built the top of Twilight Towers."

"Twilight Towers?" Elizabeth frowned. "The old abandoned apartments?"

"Yes. Oliver is having them renovated with some of…you know who's money," Felicity said, with a wince when Elizabeth spun around swiftly. "I know you didn't want to use any of the money you procured from Helena, Elizabeth, but it was me who suggested it. I don't trust Isabel Rochev, and I don't want her to be able take away Queens Consolidates."

Elizabeth stood stock still for several moments, and sighed, heavily. Her shoulders slumped, and she ran a hand down her face. "I don't trust Isabel, either," she admitted. The other woman reminded her of Helena and Carly rolled into one. "I guess, I just never intended to use Helena's money. I had planned on giving it all to charities, turn the blood money into something good. I just wanted to make sure that no one remotely tied to Helena could use her money or her research to cause more harm ever again."

"We've put a lot into charity. A large donations just went to Shriner's Hospital this week," Felicity assured her, with a lopsided smile. "And another to AIDS research as well. I remember you saying you had a friend who had HIV and how important it was to you."

"Robin, yeah," Elizabeth said, quietly. She hadn't seen the other brunette since her return to Port Charles, and wondered what had happened to her. It was something she would talk to Patrick about when she got the chance. She rubbed her tired eyes, feeling the soreness soak into her bones and limbs. "I'm glad you did that. Thank you."

"Your welcome, but I would like to stress that something to you if you don't mind. Isn't what you are doing here as the Ebony Arrow something good?" Felicity said, with a small hopeful smile. "Can't that be taking the blood money and turning it to some good?"

"Perhaps, but I can't pretend that the majority of this isn't self-serving. I can't pretend that it's not motivated by revenge," said Elizabeth, her brows furrowed. Her blue eyes flickered with shadows, and she rubbed her arms. Her throat felt too tight, and a wave of cold rushed over her. She could still see the bright lights beaming down on her face, and the phantom weights of shackles upon her arms. The dripping IV, the heart monitor beeping frantically as the poison was immersed in her blood.

"Elizabeth."

She could still hear all the horrible things Helena was going to try and make her do. How she intended Elizabeth to be her weapons that would bring Port Charles to its knees.

"Elizabeth."

Elizabeth jerked when Felicity's hand touched her shoulder, and the former nurse blinked rapidly. "Oh," she said, softly. "I'm sorry, Felicity. I just…got lost in my head. Again."

"Has that been happening a lot?" Felicity asked, worriedly. "I mean, daydreaming is fine. Therapeutic even! Especially when you daydream about good things! Not bad good things," Felicity said, getting more flustered as she went alone. A blush stained her cheeks, and she vaguely looked like she wanted the earth to swallow her whole. "Not that there's anything wrong with that! But, um, you didn't look like you having any good daydreams of any kind."

"No. No good daydreams for me," Elizabeth said, with a wry grin. She gave a light shrug of shoulder, and she turned to face the blond. "Just memories. From when Helena held me captive. They are always there, just on the outside of my thoughts. Hovering and waiting to ruin my days."

Felicity tilted her head. "I mean, I know that you aren't going to be able to tell them the full story, but maybe going to a therapist to help you with your PTSD."

"General Hospital is a good hospital, don't get me wrong, but everyone knows everyone's business. The last time I suffered from PTSD, was after I had shot a man to save Sam's life," Elizabeth commented, her jaw clenched tightly. She started to put her equipment away. Her movements slow and methodical. "The therapist had already formed an opinion on me before I entered that room solely based on the fact that I left a cop husband and supposedly had connections to the mob. He said if I didn't want to have PTSD then maybe I shouldn't have gotten involved with the mob."

"That's the most idiotic thing I have ever heard!" Felicity's cheeks flushed with anger. "You left your cop husband the first time because he was cheating and doing drugs! The second because you weren't in love with each other, and it was a bad marriage that was hurting you both. Also he was cheating again! Also PTSD isn't exclusive to gunfire or mobster violence! You could get PTSD from a car accident, or falling down the stairs! Any kind of moment that is traumatizing could cause PTSD! Any good doctor should know that!"

Elizabeth nodded. "He didn't care. I was a nurse looking for a "better meal ticket". I didn't go back. I was already dealing with enough guilt over Jason being on the outside of Jake's life, Lucky's constant remarks on everything I did…I had enough baggage to deal with than to add a stranger making comments about a situation they knew next to nothing about."

"Good on you," Felicity said, proudly. "Just so you know, if you want to give me that doctor's name, I can totally ruin his bank account and reputation in under five minutes."

Elizabeth laughed. "No, it's all good. A stranger's opinion on my life doesn't bother me. Anyways, onto more important things," she said, with a quick smile. "How is the club coming along?"

"Fantastic. We just finished renovations and started painting. Oliver was tempted to call it Verdant and start a chain, but he thought better of it," Felicity said, with a fond sigh. "Oliver Queen opening another called Verdant in a city who just happens to have another vigilante archer? Might draw a few unwanted eyes."

"Yeah. Best to avoid that," Elizabeth commented, with a small smirk. "Well, I'm glad that you are here, even if it is only for a little while. I know my friends here would have my back if they could, but they can't."

"You aren't going to tell them?" Felicity asked.

"I'll tell them enough, but about my nightly activities? No," Elizabeth stated, firmly. "That is a part of my life that doesn't need to touch them."

Felicity gnawed on her lower lip. "Alright, but just want to point out how well that worked out for Oliver. Which is to say, not all that good."

* * *

Jason frowned at the rubble of the coffee house, the ashes still simmering and heavy feeling in his stomach. He saw the look of suspicion on Sonny's face as only he was hauled away, and he knew the other man would accuse of betrayal if things got back enough. Jason raked a hand through his hair and gave a weighty sigh. He couldn't believe that in a matter months his whole life had went up in flames once again. Jake's death had been a herald of bad things. He couldn't properly mourn his son because in the public eye, he wasn't Jake's father. Sam trying to give him another child almost desperately as if it could make up for the lose of Jake, and Carly pushing the idea. And now Sonny had become the very thing they had fought to keep Port Charles from becoming?

The sound of high heels against the pavement raked against his eardrums like nails on a chalk, and before even turning he knew it was Sam. He felt her arms wrapped around him, and her pressed her face against his back. "Jason," her voice pulled into a worried whine, "I heard about the explosion! Are you alright?"

With another sigh, Jason turned to face Sam as she dislodged herself from his body. "Sam, I told you not to come here," he said, really wishing she hadn't shown up. With all that was going on, his frustration was at all time high and he didn't want to add his problems with Sam on top of it.

"Jason, you tell me that Sonny was arrested and then I find out through the television of all things that the coffee house was blown up, and you expect me to stay at the penthouse?" Sam asked, pulling away from him. Her brown eyes flickered across his face as her lips twisted down into a frown. "I'm not the type to just sit around and worry and wait, Jason. We are a team. We work better together. We can figure out what is going on."

"Not when it comes to the coffee business, especially when you want to be a legitimate PI," Jason said, firmly. "You know this, Sam. I appreciate you coming to check on me, but I'd really think its best if you head home. That way I can focus all my attention on this…mess."

"Jason, I'm not going to leave you," Sam said, incredulously. "Look, I'll call Spinelli. See what he can do about the charges against Sonny-"

"No. Spinelli is not going to help get Sonny out of this," Jason spoke, his voice harsh and dark. A blistering anger burn through him. The fact that Sonny would deal drugs, sell guns, to do everything he swore he couldn't do tore apart the code they had lived by for years. The mobsters with hearts of gold, and it had been anchor through all the horrible things he had done on Sonny's orders. Something he could tell himself at night, and it had been a lie. He had been blind. Blinded by everyone. "Sonny is guilt of this, and I'm not sure I want to help him, Sam."

Sam blinked, not understanding. "It's not like Sonny hasn't been guilty before. Why are you having a hard time defending him all the sudden?" She said, almost dismissively.

"Because he hasn't been guilty like this. The things we do, we do them because we had to do them. We had to hold this territory because if we weren't here someone else would fill the vacuum of power. Someone who didn't care who they hurt. But we, Sonny and I, aren't supposed to be like that," Jason raged, his jaw clenched so tight that his teeth started to go numb. "Deep down, I consoled myself with that fact. That deep down underneath of the blood and bullets and pain that Sonny was a good man. But somewhere…he wasn't himself. I knew it. I saw it coming, but I turned the other cheek out of the sake of friendship. He started selling, Sam. Drugs. Guns. Prostitutes."

Sam lips twisted into a frown. "I know that…you have this code that you live by and that Sonny has tried to. But you are in the mob. This is what makes up the mob, Jason."

Jason glared. "We are not like this. I don't care what Sonny has got into his head. I can't excuse what he's done. I've had Bernie get me everything. Since Sonny has started doing this, gun shooting, drug overdoses, everything has risen. This is not the Port Charles that I want."

"You work for Sonny, Jason," Sam stated. "I don't see how you can change that."

"I don't work for Sonny." Jason said, righteous feeling welling up inside of his chest. "I am his partner, and its about time I started acting like it."

Sam held up her hands. "Whoa. Jason, I think you need to think about this. Sonny has done so much for you. You two are like brothers. If you do this then there is no going back," she told him, earnestly. "Is a mob war really worth all the lives it will destroy?"

"What about the lives its already destroyed, Sam?" Jason countered, roughly.

"Look, Jason. You are just upset. You aren't thinking clearly," said Sam, becoming hurt.

"Upset? Upset? Upset is what you get when you get a flat tire. Upset is what you get when Kelly's get your order wrong. That is what upset is. You have no idea what I'm feeling now," Jason told her, his voice hard and as stone cold as he was proclaimed to be.

Sam flinched back because he hadn't talked to her like that since he threatened to kill her. It was a sick sense of déjà vu that fell over her. _And it was all because of Elizabeth,_ Sam was certain of it. Ever since Princess Purity's great return, Jason had been withdrawn and cold. She could feel him pulling further and further away, and Sam would be damned before she let Elizabeth steal her life once again. "Jason…"

"Jason Morgan," a brisk cold voice interrupted.

Sam and Jason turned to see a man in a dark, business suit. His head bald, and his hands clasped behind him. A resigned expression was upon his face, and he looked like a man that was staring his death in the face with no escape.

"Who are you?" Jason demanded.

"My name is Luka Petrov," the man replied. "I was part of the group that organized the kidnapping of your son, Jake in late 2008."

Jason felt his blood run cold then hot. "What?"

Sam went pale beside him.

"I want you to know that I truly regret being a part of that affair. If I could change it I would, however, our employer at the time was doing it as a favor," Luka stated, with a sardonic twist of his lips.

"A favor to who?" Jason demanded. He didn't understand after all this time why this man stood before him, and suspicion rolled through his mind. Was he working with Sonny? Had Sonny thrown his lot in with the Russians? Could the cut of betrayal go any deeper?

"Jason, I think we should go," Sam said, softly. She tugged on his arm, and tried to pull away from this man. Her heart was pounding in her chest. "I have a bad feeling about this."

"Why did you fiancé not tell you?" Luka chuckled, darkly. "Sam McCall was the one who requested said favor. Apparently my former employer was one of her favorite bed partners."

"That's not true!" Sam shrieked. "Jason, he is lying! He is just trying to hurt you because he thinks that it will make you weak since Sonny is in jail! Don't listen to him!"

Jason stood there, feeling as if he had been dropped into an ice bath. He tried to process what the man had said, but he couldn't swallow it. It was a bitter pill, and his heart just didn't want to believe it. Pulling his arm away from Sam, he took a threatening step forward. "Why now? What do you get out of telling me this?" Jason asked, his eyes narrowed at the Russian man.

The man smiled, grimly. "A quicker death."

Before Jason could ask what the man meant, a loud crack echoed against the pavement and the man's head snapped to the side. Blood splattered across the ground, and the man fell over dead. Jason gaped, while Sam let out a horrified scream.

* * *

Walking through the door at Kelly's brought back memories, both good and bad, for Elizabeth. It was sad to see the once bustly diner almost empty. It was probably because Carly could care less about the place and only did the bare minimum to keep Bobbie happy. _At least, the food was still good,'_ Elizabeth thought, after she ordered a coffee and breakfast special. She turned to find herself a seat when she saw Nicolas walk in with Brooklyn on his arm.

Her brows shot upward, at that. She had never pegged Nicolas as someone to date someone so much younger than him, but she wasn't going to judge.

"Elizabeth," Nicolas breathed out, when his eyes fell upon her. He came forward, dropping Brooklyn's hand pulled his oldest friend into a tight hug. "God, Elizabeth, I was so worried. Where have you been? Are you alright? I've had people searching for you. I even tried to convince Helena of all people to help me find you."

Elizabeth winced. "That's probably why you didn't find me," she said, a little bit hesitantly. She hated to be the one to tell Nicolas about what Helena did because for all the damaged she caused, he still cared for the old bat. "Nic, Helena's the one who had me kidnapped."

"What?" Nicolas looked stricken. Pain flared in his brown eyes, and his skin whitened. "She wouldn't…" Then he froze as if he realized what he had just said, and he shook his head in mute despair. "No. It's exactly what she would do. She took advantage of the chaos in the wake of Jake's death, to hurt everyone she could in her never ending quest against Luke Spencer."

"Not never ending," Elizabeth said, quietly. "Not anymore."

Nicolas's eyes shot up to meet hers and there was a question forming on his lips when Brooklyn stepped forward, clearing her throat. Nicolas blinked as if remembering she was still here and stood straighter. "Oh, Brooklyn, this is Elizabeth. Elizabeth, this is Brooklyn, she is working for me. You remember Brooklyn? Ned's daughter?"

Brooklyn put on a tight smile, clearly trying to hide how displeased she was with how Nicolas introduced her. "I don't think we've met formally," said Brooklyn, politely. Too politely. "You probably saw me here with Dillion and Georgie."

"Yes," Elizabeth smiled. "You were a singer, right? I remember Ned bragging about how amazingly talented you were." She could tell Brooklyn obviously was not happy here stuck chatting with her, she needed to work on her poker face. She had learned the ability to see through people's mask by growing up with her mother, Carolyn and her sister, Sarah.

"And I remember you. Didn't you marry Nicolas's brother twice?" Brooklyn asked, haughtily.

"Brooklyn," Nicolas reprimanded, sharply.

"It's alright, Nicolas," Elizabeth interrupted, smoothly. Her eyes sharpened on Brooklyn's face and her lips pulled upward in a smirk like a cat who had come across an exceedingly stupid rat. "The only way to clear up ignorance is by asking questions."

Brooklyn's cheeks flushed, indignantly.

"Yes. I married Lucky twice. The second was a bigger mistake than first which is why I broke the nasty habit of repeating it," Elizabeth said, bluntly. Then she looked over at Nicolas apologetically. "Sorry, Nic."

"No. No, it's true," Nicolas said, with a wry smile and slight wince. Both Lucky and Elizabeth had made mistakes; Lucky more than Liz but still, mistakes were made. Everyone had been pressuring them to be next Luke and Laura. For Lucky to be a hero and for Elizabeth to be a damsel, to be those two fifteen years old with the permanent lock. They just weren't those kids anymore, and no one had wanted to accept. "Sadly true."

Elizabeth gave a light shrug with a small smile. "I've taken up enough of your time, so…" she said, slowly. There were things she needed to talk to Nicolas about, but nothing she could say in front of Brooklyn.

"Nonsense," Nicolas said, as if were absorbed she would even for suggesting such a thing. "Why don't you join us? I would love to catch up with you, and I'm sure Brooklyn wouldn't mind. Would you, Brooklyn?"

"Not al all," Brooklyn said, with a too wide smile.

If she hadn't dealt with Carly and Sam only a daily bases, she might have been fooled by Brooklyn's smile. As it was, she was not. "Oh. No, I couldn't intrude. I'm having…"

"Breakfast with me," a voice said.

All three turned, and Elizabeth's eyebrow ticked upward as she stared in mute surprise at the very smug Britt Westbourne who stood there with her hands clasped in front of her.

* * *

Felicity was working on the computer when an alert came up, and with a frown, she looked into with a few key strokes. A huff of annoyance escaped her when she realized it must be the self proclaimed Jackal sticking his nose where it was not wanted once again. "You want to play, Jackal? Let's play," she said, her fingertips moved across the keyboard like lightning. This is what she lived for. She remembered her days at college where she would be one step ahead of the FBI or CIA, just barely escaping their back hack by the skin of her teeth. Her lips pulled into a big smirk as she sat there, her fingers moving across the keyboard like it was second nature to her.

Felicity Smoak was firmly in her element, and while the Jackal may be a good hacker, she was an extraordinary one. "Follow me down the rabbit hole," she whispered, underneath her breath, "through the maze, and straight into a dead end. Enjoy Wonderland, Jackal, because you are stuck there."

She had left bread crumbs to lead him straight to a place that would freeze and crash his systems. It would take him days to recover his information, if he did at all. An overwhelming sense of accomplishment swept over her when a sharp knock came from the hotel door.

Felicity froze on the bed, her eyes wide. She felt like a deer caught in headlights for a brief moment before she moved her laptop off her lap, and got off the bed while pulled her robe closed. Cautiously, she made her way towards the door and looked out the peep hole. She held back a squeak when she saw none other than Elizabeth's brother, Steven Lars Webber standing there.

Worry rose up inside of her chest because the man could very well have something to do with Jake's death. Elizabeth hated thinking her own brother could be capable of such a thing, but he had been one of the last people to see the young boy alive. Felicity had found no damning evidence, but she hadn't found anything to exonerate him either. Taking in a deep breath, Felicity pulled the door open and smiled at the flicker of surprise that flashed across the man's face. "Can I help you?" She asked, brightly.

"I'm sorry…I think I have the wrong room," Steve said, slowly. "I'm looking for Elizabeth Webber."

"No, you have the right room. She's not here," Felicity stated, smoothly. She pushed her glasses back up her nose, and looked up at him inquisitively. "Can I take a message?" She added, after a moment.

"Yeah, you can tell me who the heck you are, and what you are doing in my sister's hotel room," Steve Webber demanded, his hand in his pockets. His eyes were narrowed, and his lips pulled into a firm line as he stood there in the doorway making it clear that he would not be going anywhere, any time soon.

"First off, Elizabeth is a grown woman. Who she had or doesn't have in her hotel room is frankly none of you business. And how did you figure out this was her hotel room because I'm pretty sure it's against the law for the hotel staff to be giving out personal information to anyone, even if you are family," Felicity said, in one breath and in such a way that was polite, except the fact that she looked up at Steve like he was disguising piece of gum that she had stepped in. "Now, if that's all…"

"No, it is not," Steven stepped forward.

"Look, Elizabeth isn't here. She has more important things to do deal with than hearing some holier than thou lecture from a hypocrite," Felicity snapped, not in the mood to deal with him. Hypocrites wore her patience thin quickly, and she heard all about Steven from Elizabeth. Frankly, she wasn't impressed. "Now you need to go before I decide to call security." _Or ruin your credit score so badly, you'll never be able to get out that hole._

Something in her posture or voice must have clued Steven into the fact that Felicity was completely serious about her threat because he gave her one dark look, and stepped out of the way, so she shut the door right in his face. Letting a deep breath, she fell back against the door and ran her fingers through her hair. She had hoped for a reprieve while at Port Charles, but she should have known better because of the way Elizabeth spoke of the place with bitterness.

Her computer shrieked with an alert causing Felicity to jump. Her heart slammed into her throat, and her first thought that it could have something to do with Oliver, but when she ran over to computer she saw Elizabeth's name on some kind of official document. Her lips pursed, because there was no way that the Jackal could have gotten out the hole she put him in. Not that fast. Felicity pulled up the alerts to see what someone was exactly getting into. Her eyebrows went into her hairline, and then veered down into an angry scrunch as she glowered at the screen.

Someone was trying to change Jake's paternity results in the hospital database to make it look like Lucky was his father, not Jason. "Oh, hell no," Felicity said, finding a way to take out her anger. She cracked her knuckles and sat back down in her chair. She was going to find out who did this, and _ruin_ them. Felicity might not dress up as a hero, or fight with her fists, but she protected those that she considered hers.

 _Time to get to work._

* * *

Elizabeth calmly stirred the sugar into her tea, while flickering looks up at the all too smug Britt who sat across from her. Britt just smiled, in a way she knew to be infuriating and sipped on her coffee even though it was too hot. Dr. Westbourne glanced over Nicolas who sat a the table that was the one further away from theirs than any other, at Brooklyn's assistance. "So…" Britt asked, with a wicked grin. "You tap that?"

Elizabeth choked on her tea. "W-what?" She sputtered.

"Oh, come on. Barely legal brunette discount Barbie was practically peeing on him in an attempt to claim ownership," Britt said, with a laugh. "I know women who get possessive, but that's a level of possessiveness that usually only comes out when a man's ex lover comes around. So the question stands, you tap that?"

Elizabeth wiped her mouth with a napkin. "Does it really matter?" She asked, with an eyebrow arched.

"Yes. I want to know your level of commitment to the man. Are you going to wipe the floor with wannabe Brittany, or have you already moved on?" Britt asked, without batting an eye.

"Yes, I have a history with Nicolas," Elizabeth sighed, seeing that there was no way to make Britt let go of this. "We had an affair over the summer. After a few months, we decided we were better off as friends."

"Afraid to take the leap?" Britt inquired.

"No. I love Nicolas, but my feelings for him are more platonic than romantic," Elizabeth said, honestly. "He had never allowed himself to mourn Emily, his fiancé. I had just lost the man that I had always dreamed of spending my life with. _Again._ We needed an anchor for that time when we had our lives ripped apart, and we found it in each other. It was good thing, but ultimately, it wasn't something that could be made more, you know?"

Britt nodded, slowly. She did understand more than she was willing to admit out loud. "Yeah, I can get that," the doctor sighed, wistfully. She shook her head, and immediately bounced back from the somber mood that she almost got lost in. "So if you aren't going to put the moves on him, and save him from Miss I'm Practically a Gold Digger then can I? He's nice eye candy, and I'm feeling frisky."

"You…have no problem speaking your mind, do you?" Elizabeth said, with a slight tilt of her head.

"Not speaking your mind wastes time in my opinion," Britt said, with a roll of her shoulders. "And I have all the subtly of a freight train when I actually try to be subtle about things, and it always ends in a mess…"

Elizabeth smiled, faintly. "Somehow, I know your lack of subtly isn't why you wanted to talk to me."

Britt sat there for a long moment before she downed the rest of her coffee, even though it burned like hell and sat the cup down with a clatter. "It's not," she said, breathing out through her nose. She tapped her fingers along the edge of the table, and gnawed on her lower lip. "You said you'd owe me a favor if I keep my lips shut about you know what."

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes, half curious. "I did."

"Well, I know that this is very sudden, but I need to call in that favor," Britt said, quietly. "And I think you are the very person to be able to help me out."

"What's the favor?" The former nurse asked.

"I need you to find my half-brother," Britt said, bluntly.

"You're half-brother?" Elizabeth asked, surprised.

"Yes, look," Britt said, laying her hands flat against the table. "I wasn't supposed to know about him. I found out, honestly, on accident really. My mom…didn't have the greatest taste in men, and one of her boyfriend took my brother away once he was born. My mom never got to hold him, and I never got to meet him."

"I understand the need for answers, believe me," Elizabeth said, frowning. "But why now, if you don't mind my asking?"

Britt sighed, brushing her hair out of her face. "I was hoping this wasn't going to get personal, but here it is. My mom wasn't the sanest person before she had my brother, and she was batshit afterwards. She never recovered from her loss, and I never got my mother back after that," she said, softly. "She's stuck in this deep, dark place doing God knows what, and she has completely disappeared from my life because that's a path I don't want to follow. And selfish as this may sound, I really just want a family. I mean, I know there is a chance my brother may not want anything to do with, or that he maybe insane as his father who stole him, but I want to know."

Elizabeth opened her mouth to say something when a shadow fell upon their table, and she turned her head towards Spinelli who stood there with a pensive look upon his face. "Spinelli," she greeted, awkwardly.

"I apologize for the intrusion of your lunch, but I humbly request that I may speak to you Maternal One," Spinelli stated, as serious as Spinelli could get.

Elizabeth paused, her eyes darting to Britt for a brief moment. "Now isn't exactly the best time," she said, softly.

"Please, Maternal One, it will only take a moment," Spinelli insisted.

Elizabeth frowned, deeply. Did the Jackal uncover the ugly truth about what happened to her after Helena kidnapped her? Or something else? With a heavy sigh, her blue eyes raised to meet Britt's. "I'll call you later," Elizabeth told Britt, not wanting to leave the other brunette without answers. She knew all too well the feeling of lonely, and the want for family support when she had none. "We can go over things further then, and get started."

Relief flashed across Britt's face. "Thank you. Thank you."

"Thank me when we find him," Elizabeth smiled, patting the other woman's hand before she rose out of her seat and followed Spinelli to the back hallway. She had always liked the younger man, finding his awkward techno babble endearing. However, she did not trust him. While she never believed Spinelli would ever bring intentional harm onto her, or her children, he lacked the ability to hold his tongue on many things. She couldn't trust him not to say anything incriminating to Sam, who had already been involved in two of Jake's kidnapping. That made her a ripe suspect to be involved in his death, in Elizabeth's opinion. "Now, what did you want to talk about, Spinelli?" She asked, concerned.

"Look, Most Loyal One, I know you have a long and tumultuous history with Maximista, and I do not begrudge you any ill will you still feel for her when she still seems to hold a misguiding grudge against you," Spinelli stated off, carefully. He did not want to judge the Maternal One. He knew her to be unwavering in her compassion and forgiveness, and was certain this was one big misunderstanding. "So I'm just going to come out and ask…why did you have the Maximista fired from Crimson?"

Elizabeth did the only thing she could do after hearing that.

She laughed.

* * *

END OF CHATPER!

NEXT CHAPTER! **Elizabeth has a hard talk with Spinelli, Jason has to figure out the truth behind the dead Russian's claims, Kristina is trying to pick up the pieces. Elizabeth finally confronts Lucky over Jake. Carly and Sam get a warning while the noose around several of Port Charles' citizen's grows tighter.**

 **NOTE: This chapter may have a rewrite in the future. I lost some work on my red computer, so if I can recover that I will edit this. Thanks! :D Also for any Sam fans that may or may not try to but in, I'm portraying Sam how I see her when she was at her worst. Back in 2008 I thought it suspicious that Sam hired Russians to point guns at Elizabeth and her kids, and then a few months later, she goes to the safe house that Liz is staying at with Russian mobs on her tail. To me it was all ploy to get Jason back, so if you are a Sam fan, again I say this is not for you.**

 **Rrs are appreciated.**


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I own nothing from General Hospital, DC Comics, Marvel Comics, or Arrow. I own nothing from any of these shows, this is for amusement purposes only.

Summary: Elizabeth Webber is in search of justice for her son, and to right past wrongs. Yet danger stalks her steps, and old enemies never know when to stay gone.

I want to thank, Ember1313, NaxieFan48, McCarthy, mif456, Bryantk82, brae76, trini12180, Bettyboop48748, lilnudger82, CCBTH, Doreen769, Spiritkit, rockrose, jayblair77731, QUEENADDEK, retired lady, arcoiris0502, starlight guardian, Wonderwomom, ImLuvinMyThesaurus, Meghie03, SlytherinQueen020, chriswrites99, CandyHearts22, Godricsgrl89, blondinkris, notenoughlove, Twisted Musalih, for the favs.

I want to thank, Ember1313, NaxieFan48, kceke2pen, leeleelay5, mif456, Bryantk82, Wonderwomom, brae76, fun days, narnia365, ravenb, trini12180, Bettyboop48748, TheChicaChic, lilnudger82, Twisted Musalih, Bqj, SoapOperaEMpress, arcoiris0502, bookfreak25, CCBTH, Doreen769, Spiritkit, aphass, rockrose, jayblair7731, lrobinson01, QUEENADDEK, retired lady, Liasonisthebomb, Princessdiana516, sherimi, SlytherinQueen020, chriswrites99, Gemini18, CandyHearts22, Godricgrl89, blondinkris, rosyronni, notenoughlove, byland, Sancta, SPEEDIE22, Palindrome062, KristineDEllis, for the follows.

And I want to give a special thanks to, Liasonfan75, fundays, bjq, arcoiris0502, Spiritkit, trini12180, LiasonLuv, kcke2pen, notenoughlove, SoapOperaEmpress, Guest, lrobinson01, sherimi, S, Sarah, KristinaDEllis, ,for the reviews.

Thank you all, you are truly wonderful.

Guest Reviews:

LiasonLuv: Glad you liked feisty Felicity, and the Liz and Britt friendship. I really think they could have been friends if they hadn't done the love triangle with Nicolas.

Guest: I'm glad you are enjoying it. I always felt they should have had Elizabeth as an avenging angel over Jake's death instead of apologizing to Luke. Thanks, I try to make things easier to keep up with when crossing so everyone understands it even they don't necessary know the other fandom. Thank you so much! :D

S: Thank you so much for the amazing review! Arrow is a good show even you don't like superheroes, but you don't necessarily have to know it to keep up. I'll explain everything in throughout so no one gets lost, but I'm glad you liked Felicity. Her involvement with the Arrow crew will be explain more and more as we delve into the story because the Green Arrow is a great influence on Elizabeth. The mystery mastermind behind the Russain's confession, it's a little bit of a doozy. You'll have to read to see. I don't think I'll have Steve involved, but the way he acted during this time really didn't endear me to him. And sadly, he was the last to see Jake alive. You might be right about Carly, but I am afraid I'll have to leave you in suspense, lol. I agree whole heartedly about bringing Britt back and get rid off the dead weight on GH. At least, Britt could make you root for her or hate her. These new characters I'm indifferent at best. Her brother is Nathan, but his story is vastly different than in GH cannon. Oh, yes, Britt will be taking Brooklyn down a peg or two.

Sarah: Thank you! Glad you like it. Been busy and with computer issues I haven't gotten to update until now. Hope it's been worth it. :D

Pairings: Elizabeth/?, Jason/?, Britt/Nicolas, more pending

NOTE: I want to apologize for the lack of updates again. I went back to my silver computer that a virus on it. Ransomware where I couldn't get into anything. Needless to say I've put it away until I get a good virus software, and my sister gave me her old laptop. It needed a new operating system, and it took a little while to get the right one but here I am back. Hopefully good this time.

Warning: Graphic mentions of torture, and may triggered.

Chapter Inspired:

"Ready, Aim, Fire" by Imagine Dragons

"Monsters" by Ruelle

* * *

 **CHAPTER FIVE**

" **Ready, Aim, Fire"**

 **Six months earlier**

* * *

 _It had been two weeks. Two week in this hellhole._

 _Elizabeth's fingers traced the fourteen tally marks she had scratched into the wooden crate that sat right behind her tiny prison. Two weeks since she had awoken, naked with her hands tied behind her back and her face blindfolded. When she tried to move, she found that she was in a tiny enclosed space. It took her only minutes to realized she had been stuffed into a kennel like a wild animal. Her heart had went into overdrive, and she had thrashed around violently. She had to get out. She had to get out and get help. She had to get back to Jake and Cameron._

 _But her efforts were in vain. The kennel would not come apart, and Elizabeth slumped against the metal with exhausted. She heard laughter. Helena's laughter. It echoed through the room, and that's when Helena explained exactly what would happen to her. How she would become a weapon that would make all her enemies tremble, and how it would be her greatest hour. Then the older woman had left to "prepare", and the vague threat in that word was not lost on Elizabeth._

 _So she sat in the kennel. Trapped and cornered under the watchful eye of Helena's guards. They fed her scraps of whatever food they had. One day it had been stale breath, another it had been half eaten burger. They gave her a water bottle every other day that was barely filled with anything. She fought to make them last as long as she could. And that wasn't even the worst of it._

 _Elizabeth could feel the eyes of the guards on her. It made her skin crawl, and left her feel so dirty that she wanted to scrub her skin raw in a blistering hot shower. It brought back memories of that night in the park, and put a sliver of fear in her soul. Her heart faltered in her chest when she heard footsteps come closer to her kennel, and her jaw clenched tight. She had managed to figure out that there were three different guards. Each one had a different way they walked. The first one she called grumpy, he stomped his feet so loud they echoed like thunder. The second she called Limpy because he dragged his left foot, and the third one was Anton._

 _Anton, Helena's faithful head of security, from what Elizabeth had heard from the men's conversation_ — _the bits that were in English. They mostly spoke in Russian, which added another layer of isolation._

 _The footsteps came to a halt right beside the kennel, and even though her eyes were blindfolded, she could see the shadow that fell over. Her breaths came in sharp and shallow gasps when the kennel door was violently pulled open. She tried to pull back, but a fist knotted in her hair. She bit the inside of her cheek so hard that she tasted blood, but she refused to give them the satisfaction of hearing her scream._

" _Ah…" A man's voice chuckled from nearby. "This one has spirit. Fight all you want, doll, but we will get the screams from you eventually."_

 _Elizabeth spat out the blood in her mouth in the voice's direction as she was thrown to her knees against the hard concrete ground. Pain exploded through her cheek when she was backhanded for her efforts. Her body crumpled forward, and her forehead pressed into the grimy ground. She could only image what they were going to do to her, and her stomach twisted violently in her stomach._

" _Enough," Anton ordered, darkly. "Helena does not want her precious weapon damaged. In any way, so that means keep your hands and other parts to yourself, Lionel."_

" _Aww, I never get to play with the pretty ones," Lionel aka Limpy complained._

 _Elizabeth stilled, not sure whether to believe what Anton had just said. It would be a relief, but only a small relief. While she might not be raped again, there were other ways that these men could hurt her. She had been agonizing over the possibilities for hours when she wasn't worrying about her sons until exhaustion stole her from the waking world. Helena Cassadine was a monster, and only heaven knew what kind of monsters she hired. With a knot in her throat, Elizabeth feared that she was going to find out._

" _The only one allowed to_ play _with her is the Soldier," Anton stated, grimly. "Have her showered, and dressed then take her down to the laboratory. Dr. Friedman has the machine ready. Helena wants no memories to hinder her plans this time and then her training will begin."_

The Soldier? Laboratory? Machine? _Elizabeth stiffened as horror flooded through her from head to toe. They were going to take her memories! They were going to try to erase them! A scream ripped through Elizabeth, echoing through the warehouse and she fought against them when they grabbed her._

 _She bit. She clawed. She scratched. She punched, and kicked. She would not let them brainwash her like Lucky had been. She would not let them take her memories of her children from her. She fought with all that she had until she felt the pinch of a needle in her neck, and she sucked in a harsh breath. "No…no….no…please, no."_

 _Everything faded to black._

* * *

 **PRESENT TIME**

Let it be said, Elizabeth had no intention of laughing in Spinelli's face or making him feel so offended. It had just been an instinctual reaction to his question because one she was relieved he merely wanted to confront her about that. Also, he should be smart enough to figure out the why she fired Maxie. It wasn't out of malice, but necessity. "Sorry. I'm sorry," she said, genuinely when her laughter began to die down. She pressed the palm of her hand against her mouth in order to swallow down her chuckles, and looked at Spinelli with large apologetic eyes.

Spinelli didn't look less offended. Instead, he stood there like Elizabeth had slapped him and his mouth was agape, moving up and down like a fish's. "This isn't something to laugh at, Maternal One," he stated, vehemently. "This is about Maxie's job. A job she worked hard to get."

Elizabeth stifled another laugh before she raked her tongue against the back of her teeth. She contemplated her words carefully before she spoke. "She may have worked hard to get it, but she hasn't worked hard to keep it," she said, an eyebrow arched. She looked across Spinelli, and silently marveled at how he was able to see the good in people. The moment Jake had been killed that ended for her. The exceptions to that rule could be counted on her hand only. "Maxie does a good job when she isn't busy running around on a personal crisis or immersing herself in someone else's drama. No matter how much she loved working there, she was no longer dedicated to it as she once was and other were having to pick up the slack. Running a magazine is like a clock, if one of the cogs is off the whole thing is thrown off."

Spinelli opened his mouth to defend the Maximista, but Elizabeth held up her hand to silence him. "Furthermore, Maxie would not be able to act professional with me as her boss. She is still spiteful about the mess with Lucky all those years ago, and won't admit that she was in the wrong back then," Elizabeth stated, reasonably. "The magazine has been losing it's readers, and Kate admits that her love life has gotten in the way of it. It's why she wanted someone to steer it in a better direction because she didn't feel like she could. I can't do that with Maxie constantly undermining me at every turn, and as much as you love her, Spinelli, even you know she would do that."

Spinelli had no words to say because even he knew how unfairly the Maximista still judged the Maternal One to this day. How could he argue to make Elizabeth take Maxie back knowing Maxie would make Elizabeth's life hell just for the sake of it? The Maternal One was just trying to do the best by Cameron, in ways she hadn't been able to do for Jake. He couldn't fault her for that, nor in her logic when it came to his Fair One. "The Jackal supposes he understand why the Maternal One did what she did. He does not like it because it hurt the Fair Maximista, but he understands," Spinelli said, quietly as his shoulders sagged. The upset and anger that he had held onto slipped out of him in one great breath.

"I'm glad," Elizabeth said, with a small nod.

"May I ask something else? Something that's been bothering me?" Spinelli asked, awkwardly shifting on the heels of his feet.

"Sure," Elizabeth allowed.

"Where did the Maternal One get the kind of money to buy out Crimson? As far as the Jackal knew that the Loyal Nurse was struggling," Spinelli said, only slightly concerned. "And why choose Crimson to invest in?"

"The investment of Jason's money wasn't a complete waste," she said, softly. That was a lie. It had been a _complete_ bust because her brother had given her faulty information, and she wasn't sure if that had been on purpose or not. It was sad that she even had to suspect him of duplicity, but he had been so adamant of her relying on him that she couldn't rule it out the possibility. As for how she truly got the money, it had been from…well, someone who had an invested interest in seeing her and Cameron taken care of. As much as she hated using the money almost as she hated to use Helena's, she did have to secure Cameron's future and safety. Like the old saying went, _'Money talks.'_

"The pharmaceutical one?" Spinelli frowned.

"Yes. Some of that money came back around with the recent turn in profit of Queen Consolidates who were heading that project, and I took some of the money to buy out Crimson," Elizabeth lied, without batting an eyelash. At one time she may have felt a pang of guilt for lying, but her heart had been hardened from these last six years. She couldn't afford to be the soft, and forgiving person she had been. So if she had to lie, then she would lie to protect herself and her family. "I do have an artistic view point that I think we help rebuild the magazine back up. It wasn't some plot to get one over on Maxie. It was just a good investment, and I want to set it up so when Cameron is older he won't have to worry about the things that I had to constantly worry about."

The Jackal ran a hand down his neck. He looked slightly embarrassed about confronting Elizabeth at all. "Are you sure you had fire Maximista though? I'm sure if you just talked to her…"

"I won't apologize for firing her, Spinelli," Elizabeth shook her head. Her expression was resolute, and her brows veered down. "For the last seven months, she has a sloppy work ethic, and is unreliable. Those are the reasons she is being let go. It's nothing personal, and Kate gave her excellent references. She won't have trouble getting another job in the fashion industry. In fact, a few people have inquired already about hiring her. Perhaps, you need to help Maxie see this less as a loss and more as an opportunity."

Elizabeth reached out, squeezing his shoulder gently. She hoped that Maxie appreciated Spinelli who was firmly in corner before it was too late. The Jackal wouldn't last forever, and if Maxie didn't shape up she would eventually drive Spinelli away. She let her hand drop, and walked around him back towards the main part of Kelly's when the headache of her life decided to walk through the doors. Immediately, Elizabeth could feel her upper lip curl in a snarl at the sight of Lucky and Siobhan. Rage heated her blood like a lit match to a vat of gasoline, and her hands curled into shaking fists at her side.

Her heart screamed for retribution while her mind tried to remain calm. However, fair or unfair it was she saw Lucky as the one to put the final nail in her baby's coffin. He had no legal right to Jake at the point, and yet the hospital let him pull the plug when she couldn't be found. In her heart, that was the cruelest thing that Lucky had ever… _ever_ done to her, and that was including both of their marriages.

Her eyes darted around the restaurant for any sign of escape, but there were none. She was going to have to face them whether she liked it or not. She could only hope Lucky did induce a rage episode. Explaining how she ripped her ex-husband limb from limb wasn't something she would look forward to. _Well, you see officer you know Helena Cassadine? You don't? Well, she is an evil hell spawn that had scientist experiment on a super soldier formula called 'mirakuru' which gave me super strength and super reflexes. It also sometimes comes with super rages that makes Mr. Hyde seem tame,_ the thought ran through Elizabeth's mind and she just shook her head. That would not go well at all, and would just open a whole can of worms that shouldn't be opened.

Bile burnt the back of her tongue as she steeled herself against the rage that flowed beneath her skin with a life of it's own. Elizabeth squared her shoulders, and had her chin up as she walked towards the doors. She knew they would say something before she reached them, but she wasn't going to approach them. She meant it when she told Dante that she wanted nothing to do with them.

Elizabeth fought back a grimace when Lucky did a double take, and saw her. She kept her eyes on the door, and barely managed to keep her glare in check when he and his new wife stepped directly into her path.

"Elizabeth," Lucky breathed out. His eyes searched her face. No matter how many years or how many times they hurt each other, Lucky would always feel something for Elizabeth. A part of him believed they would find their way back together after Elizabeth got over this independence episode and was truly sorry for what she had done. "Dante told me that you were back in town. I could barely believe it. He said that you said Helena Cassadine kidnapped you?"

It was like swallow a white hot coal trying to keep the anger she felt towards Lucky under wraps. The mirakuru serum may be trying to pull it to the surface, but that anger was all Elizabeth. Years of repressed anger and unresolved issues between them on top of Jake's death had bred in the dark places of her heart. "Yes, it's true," she said, her voice held an edge. "Helena Cassadine kidnapped me from the hospital."

"My God," Lucky breathed out. "Why did she take you? Dad had a few ideas, but with Helena's crazy plans you can never know for sure."

"Why does Helena do anything Lucky? To make everyone suffer," Elizabeth said, through her teeth. Her blue eyes threw daggers at his face, and she wasn't even going to pretend that she didn't want to see him. "What better way to do that on the eve of Jake's accident?"

Lucky blanched at the mention of Jake. He remembered how he grappled with that decision that hadn't been his to make, and how he felt sicken by the relief that had come with it. It was only a little relief over Jake no longer suffer, and more over the fact the connection that held Jason and Elizabeth together had been cut. "Elizabeth…" He started, carefully. If he played on her emotions, offered a shoulder for comfort and he worm his way back into her life. "Look, about Jake…I didn't want to make that choice. I didn't want to have to do it. I loved him like a son, and it…" His made his breath stuttered, and Siobhan grasped his arm.

"Lucky, don't," Elizabeth interrupted him, her voice harsh, and her eyes burned like blue fire. "Loved Jake like son?" She scoffed, not bothering to hide her disgust. "You only pretended to love Jake and Cameron when there was something in it for you. You had signed away any custodial rights to them. You nor Jason had any right to make that choice for Jake. The hospital had no right letting you make that decision."

"That's not fair, Elizabeth. We didn't know where you were," Lucky defended, taking a step back. He had expected her to breakdown, and to cry. The cold rage that was in her gaze was like nothing he had ever seen. It wasn't like Elizabeth, at all. "Jake wasn't getting any better, and Jocelyn needed a kidney. We had to do something, and I know you would want Jake's death to mean something."

"You didn't know that Jake wasn't getting any better. The second set of tests hadn't even been done yet before you chose to the pull the plug. I know! It was one of the first things I checked when I was freed from Helena," Elizabeth snarled, her voice hoarse with gut-wrenching emotions that she had tried to bury. She had immersed herself in the training and meditation to fight back the primal fury that the mirakuru heightened. It must be working otherwise Lucky still wouldn't be standing there with that wounded puppy dog look on his face. "And you know nothing about me. What I would want is that moment _back_ , but that's never going to happen! You took the last moment I should have had with my son, holding his hand and letting him know that I was there as surely as Helena did."

Siobhan snorted, shaking her head. "I can't believe you have the nerve to act like this is all Lucky's fault," the red head interjected, tired of Elizabeth's high and mighty act. She didn't believe for a second that she was kidnapped. It just seemed like another desperate cry for attention that Lucky had told her that Elizabeth had been known to do. "If you had kept a better eye on your son, he wouldn't have run out into the middle of the road in the first place. Tell me, Elizabeth, what had you so distracted that you couldn't be bothered to keep an eye on your son?"

"Hey!" Nicolas had stood up from his seat the moment he saw Lucky entered the diner, and he knew that it would not end well. He didn't look behind him to see if Brooklyn followed him, but he was by Elizabeth's side in an instant. "That is enough. What happened to Jake was a senseless accident. It was horrible, but it was in no way Elizabeth's fault. Children get into stuff, and run out of their parent's sight all the time. No parent can be there a hundred percent of the time."

"This doesn't involve you," Siobhan spat out, angrily. Her face paled with anger at the sight of the Prince. Lucky had let his brother back into his life, and Nicolas had made it clear that he had low opinions on his brother's choice of new wife. "Though I guess you just can't help yourself where Elizabeth is concerned. Honestly, Lucky, you shouldn't have to deal with either of them after what they put you through."

Brooklyn gnawed on her lower lip. While she didn't personally know Elizabeth, she saw the other woman as a threat to her budding relationship with Nicolas. It appeared that she had been right, and that Nicolas had a past with Elizabeth. "Nicolas, perhaps we shouldn't get involved," Brooklyn said, placing a hand on Nicolas's arm. She was trying to play peacemaker. Not that she particularly cared if Elizabeth got verbally assaulted by the pair, but she didn't want Nicolas to ride to the other woman's rescue.

Nicolas pulled his arm away from Brooklyn and missed the sour expression the singer aimed at Elizabeth. He held up his hand and then pointed a finger right in Siobhan's face. "Do me a favor, Siobhan? Won't don't you not talk about stuff that you weren't here for," the Cassadine price said, looking down his nose at her like she was something that he had found on the bottom of his shoe. He would never understand how Lucky could go off on Elizabeth about the dangers of the mob when she was with Jason to marrying a woman that was affiliated with organized crime herself. She may have supposedly cut tied with the Baulkan, and that, yet Nicolas wasn't convinced. "Sprouting off the skewed version of history that you've gotten from Lucky and Lulu just makes you sound ignorant to the people who now better. Lucky relationship with Elizabeth was over years before anything happened between Elizabeth and me."

"Nicolas, come on, man," Lucky said, putting himself between Siobhan and Nicolas. "Back off."

"Then tell her to back off," Nicolas demanded, darkly. "Elizabeth has went through hell. You should know better than anyone what Helena is capable of, and that on top of losing Jake? You should know better than to approach her about it in a public place, let alone when that kind of pain is fresh."

Lucky felt that bitterness return in his heart. That same bitterness he felt when he found out that Nicolas and Elizabeth had been together. The betrayal came rushing back and his eyes narrowed on the pair of them. "No, I can't do that, Nicolas," he said, sharply. "I mean, obviously Helena is at large—"

"Helena's dead," Elizabeth corrected, sharply.

That took the wind out of Lucky's sails. He looked at Elizabeth absolutely gobsmacked. "Helena's…Helena's dead?" Lucky whispered out.

"Yes. So you don't have to worry about her coming after you, Lucky," Elizabeth said, with a razor sharp smile. "Not like she did me. You know…everyone always lectured me on the danger of being with Jason, or hanging out with that kind of crowd and somewhere down the line I forgot that my own past was never safe. Tom Baker in the park, and let's not forget Helena Cassadine came after me not because of the mob. Not because of Jason. She came after me because of you and your family."

Lucky made a choked noise. "That is not my fault!"

"Really?" Elizabeth cocked her head to the side. "Because if I had never gotten involved with you then I most likely would have never been a blip on Helena's radar. I should have never looked back when I ran away from you at the altar."

It was a cruel strike, but Elizabeth couldn't bring herself to care about the tears that burst into Lucky's eyes. She should have never looked back after leaving him there. She should have never tried again after Cameron had been born because she knew Lucky would never see the woman that she had become. He would always see her as some fragile broken doll he found in the snow that would always owe him for putting her back together when in reality it was Elizabeth that had to constantly piece him back together. "Lucky, we've put each other through enough. This whole Helena situation has been resolved so I think we should just ignore each other and go about our very separate lives. I won't have anything to do with you or your family," she told him, giving the ultimatum here and now. She would give Lucky one chance to walk away. "And you won't have anything to do with me and mine."

"What about Cameron?" Lucky sputtered.

"You will have nothing to do with him," Elizabeth told him, sharply. "He has gone through too much for a boy his age, and I am not about to let you put him through anymore."

"You can't keep Cameron from Lucky," Siobhan said, angrily. "He's the only father that little boy has ever known."

"Maybe you weren't listen to the part where Lucky signed away any rights he had. You know before he got engaged to you," Elizabeth commented, arched a brow coldly. "Something about a clean slate, right? Now if you'll excuse me, I have other more important matters to deal with than standing around risking lowering my IQ being around the two of you."

Elizabeth turned to Nicolas, and flashed him a sincere smile. "See you, Nicolas," she said, patting his arm. "Give me a call when you have some time to talk. I know you still have questions about what happened to Helena."

"Yeah, I will," Nicolas nodded. The Cassadine Prince waited until Elizabeth was well out of sight before he pinned Lucky and his wife with a dark gaze. "Lucky, I know we've all have our differences, but for the sake of the relationship and friendship you once had with Elizabeth…" His jaw visibly tightened. "Don't push it."

"Push it?" Lucky gawked. "Don't push it? Nicolas, we all know Helena. She is never dead. She will come back, and Elizabeth knows that! We need to know what happened so we can be prepared for—" Lucky cut off when Nicolas shook his head.

"Lucky, I know you, alright?" Nicolas told him, a disappointed look on his face. "Every crisis that has happened to us through the years…you tend to make it about you. You may not know you are doing it, but you do. And this…this isn't about you. This is about Elizabeth, and her grief, and how she is going to move on from this. Getting in her face with an inquisition won't help matters, so give her space. If she wants to confide in you, she will. If not, that's her decision. Beside," he said, offering the small olive branches in hopes to end this argument, "Helena being dead is a good thing. Let's not looked a gift horse in the mouth."

There was a long tense moment before Lucky slumped his shoulders. "Yeah…yeah, I guess so," Lucky agreed, reluctantly. He couldn't let this go though. He needed to know what was going on with Elizabeth, and he was determined to find out despite his brother's warning. "Helena was the worst of the worst. I'm glad that she might be gone for good this time. Port Charles doesn't need a monster like that running around."

* * *

After finally being released being questioned incessantly by the police, Jason had a the most painful migraine he had ever had in his entire life. Well, his life as Jason Morgan that was. He pinched the bridge of his nose, and had brought Sam to the ER. She was shaken up, and after she had been taken into one of the rooms, he had a moment to breath. His life was spiraling out of control, and two of the people he trusted the most were responsible for it.

Sam and Sonny.

Sonny, he had let back in life despite the entire mess with the Zacharra family. Sam, he had let back in his life despite the things she had done. That's what ate him the most was that they were far out of his life, and he let them back in. He made the choice to trust them again, even though he had every reason not to, and they had broken that trust again. What was that saying? Once, shame on them. Twice, shame on you.

He had to scramble. To find the pieces, and somehow piece it all back together the best he could. He also had to figure out if the allegations against Sam held any truth. If they did, then Sam would have to be taken care of. If they didn't, then he needed to figure out who would want him to believe it. What kind of man did it say he was if he had blinded to all of this? That not only had he been blind, but his forgiveness of them had allowed it to happen right underneath his nose?

It made him sick to his stomach. It made him a hypocrite. It made him all the things that he swore he would never become, and he sighed wiping his hand down his face. His shoulders slumped, and he pulled out his cellphone. He had to call Spinelli, and tell him to get on this. He knew the hacker already had a lot on his plate, but he had no choice. He had to uncover the truth before he made a choice that would likely change his life forever.

* * *

Elizabeth took a short cut through the alleyway. She had promised to meet Felicity at the club to go over some paperwork, and designs when she felt a warning shock up her spine, and the hair on her neck stood on end. Her walk never faltered no one, and she casually slipped her hand into her purse. Her fingers brushed the handle of her miniature crossbow, and the arrows were lanced with a small dose of poison. Nothing lethal, but just enough to incapacitate someone.

She saw three shadows drop down from the fire escape, and her eyes widened a fraction. Assassins. Elizabeth recognized the armor they wore immediately as the League of Shadows, and she felt a burst of shock flood through her. What the hell was Ra's Al Ghul doing sending his men to General Hospital? Her muscles started to coil, and Elizabeth had to force them to relax. Taunt limb gave an enemy something to work with, to pull or push her around with. If a person kept their limbs slackened, it gave the enemy nothing to work with and use against them.

A slow exhaled fell from her lips, and her heat beat thumped in the base of her throat. The bulky and biggest assassin was the first to make a move, and lunged towards Elizabeth with alarming speed. The motion flipped a switch inside of her mind, immediately transforming her from Elizabeth Webber to a killing machine in a split second.

One moment the assassin's hand was on her arm, and then next Elizabeth had pulled it off. Her fingers held his wrist in her palm of her hand in a grip that could not be broken, and she twisted it harshly. The sound of bone snapping echoed off the brick walls, but the bulky assassin did not scream. Instead, he broke his arm further in her grip to be able to knee her right in the gut. A grunt escaped her throat, and her grip slackened ever so slightly. The bulky assassin then kicked out, and Elizabeth had to let go of him completely in order to dodge the blow.

But as she backpedaled, two arms wrapped around in an ironclad grip. Frustration needled along her skin, and she wondered just what the heck these assassins were up to. None of them were giving it their all, and neither was she. It was almost like they were playing a game, and that just added to Elizabeth's irritation. Lifting her legs off the ground, she used the assassin that held her in a vice grip as leverage and kicked out at the approaching one. It sent him flying backwards, and flat on his back in the dirty alleyway.

With a surge of inhuman strength, she slammed her head back into the assassin's face. The assassin cried out, and let her go. The female assassin lunged forward, and Elizabeth barely had time to dodge the blade. She felt a fissure of pain burn across her cheek, and something warm and wet dripped down her face. Her blood pumped through her veins, and Elizabeth ducked underneath another swing. She pulled her miniature crossbow out, and used it to block the katana wielding assassin's sword. With a growl, she pulled out the bolt from the crossbow and stabbed it straight into the woman's wrist.

The female assassin's eyes bulged, and she stumbled back in shock as if she could not believe that just happened. It only took seconds for the effects of the poison to start to show. The assassin's breathing became labored, her cheeks flushed and eyes started to droop.

Elizabeth didn't have a moment to breath though. She heard the clatter of footsteps behind her, and simultaneously loaded the crossbow with another bolt in one smooth motion to face the next opponent. Hands struck her on the sides of her face, and stunned her for a moment. A hand then wrapped around her throat, and the other knocked her crossbow out of her fingers.

Elizabeth gasped, her fingers clawed at the hand that gripped the column of her throat so tightly that she started to see black dots dance in front of her vision.

Her nails scraped against the assassin's armor until she managed to latch onto something that would anchor then she brought her knee up as hard as she could right into his family jewel's. The assassin didn't let go, but his grip slackened just enough for Elizabeth to inhale the breath she needed. Eyes narrowed dangerously on the assassin's hidden face, Elizabeth reached down to pull the dagger free from the assassin's belt and buried into the assassin's arm. She ripped the free as the hand around her throat jerked back, and she spun around in a circle, the blade making an arch. It slashed the assassin right across the face, forcing him even further back.

Giving the space she needed, Elizabeth dove towards the asphalt and grabbed her crossbow, then rolled right onto her feet. Elizabeth was crouched down, with a snarl on her face.

"Enough," the demand came from a cultured female voice with a faint accent cut through the night. It was the kind of voice that couldn't be ignored, and demanded obedience.

Elizabeth stilled, then turned her head towards the woman that stood at the end of the alleyway. "Nyssa," she said, her eyes narrowed slightly.

Nyssa was the epitome of exotic beauty with her long ebony that hung down in waves all the way to her back. Her high cheekbones with aquiline nose, and her lips were soft and supple. Lush long lashes framed her dark almond shaped eyes that could cut a person down with a single glance. Her jaw was angled and curved down to the point of her chin. She caught many people's eyes, but the lethal beauty hardly looked back. As an assassin for the League of Shadows, Nyssa was first and foremost loyal to the cause of their leader Ra's Al Ghul before all else. Her armor unlike her compatriots was far more elaborate with its red color, and styled in almost like a samurais'.

"What are you doing here, Nyssa?" Elizabeth slowly rose from her crouched position, but she did not lower the small crossbow.

"Family takes care of family, Elizabeth," Nyssa said, the side of her lip upturned. She glanced at the assassins who lingered behind Elizabeth and flicked her wrist in dismal at them. Immediately, the assassins fled to the shadows. Two down a side alley while the other scaled the side of the building with an almost impossible speed. She waited until the last assassin was out of sight before she slowly approached the former nurse. "I see that Oliver has helped hone your talents well. You are a little rough around the edges in your technique, but the thugs of Port Charles care little for true battles. They prefer to point and shoot their guns, but that does not mean you should underestimate them."

Elizabeth pulled her finger off of the trigger after a moment before she compacted the crossbow, and put it back down inside of her purse. "Something tells me you didn't come here to warn me of the dangers of taking on the mob," she stated, peering at Nyssa with her head cocked to the side. "Why don't you tell me what you are really here?"

"Ra's Al Ghul commends your intentions and your integrity, but his thinks your efforts are wasted," Nyssa told her, fixing the ties on her gauntlet as she eyed the shadows after them warily. "There is nothing left here for you in Port Charles, but a slow painful death."

"After what I've been through the threat of death does not frighten me," Elizabeth said, with a tight-lipped expression.

"It is not a physical death you should fear, but one of the soul," . "Cities like this chip and wear down those who strive to the right thing. They get walked on by those who have committed far greater crimes until they are an unrecognizable husk who can no longer see the difference between right and wrong."

Elizabeth didn't say anything right away. She could see what Nyssa meant. Hell, she had felt it. How every time she had been torn down by people she had trusted, and sometimes, she had sabotaged herself. How every time left her more and more desperate and worn down. The only good thing about Helena's kidnapping, it had opened her eyes to the dreary path that she was headed down before she made an irreversible mistake.

"I've made my choice," Elizabeth replied, with a decisive shake of her head. "I've come too far to go back now. And I won't join the League. No matter who thinks it is best for me."

"You'd be safer with us than here," Nyssa said, with a sigh. "You may have Oliver and his team at your back, but they are states away with their own city to protect."

"I can defend this city myself," Elizabeth asserted, arms crossed over her chest. She stared at Nyssa trying to find any familiarity in her features as if to answer the lingering questions about Ra's Al Ghul. If anyone could answer them it would be Nyssa since she was his daughter. "And align myself with Ra's Al Ghul is never going to happen no matter what he offers. He would raze Port Charles to the ground because they would believe it beyond redemption."

"Can you say it is not?" Nyssa countered, her expression fierce. Her dark eyes bore into Elizabeth's as if to impress the graveness of the task and situation that the Ebony Arrow would face. "I've been here, studying the city and its people for weeks. It is a cesspool filled with greed and corruption worse than Starling City. The bones of charity and righteousness that build foundation of this town through the hospital have long since been crushed beneath it all. And those who stand as pillars of virtue are often stricken down, and brought down to the level of the rest of them. This city will taint you, and no matter how hard you try you will never wash away the stain."

Elizabeth ran her tongue against the side of her teeth, and her lips pursed. "Maybe your right. Maybe this city isn't worth saving. Good knows that I've tried to do the right thing, and somehow the people who do the wrong thing always end up with their happy endings while I'm still spinning my wheels," she told the assassin, resolutely. She had been tore over what to do when Oliver and his team first saved her. There was no way to be normal ever again. She could pretend, or she could take the ugliness done to her and turn it into something good. "But this my home. I have put too much heart, and suffered too much pain to bail on this town. I owe it to myself to see this through."

Nyssa gave her a long, scrutinized stare before her expression softened ever so slightly. "If this is your path, and you are determined to see it through I will not stop you," she said, . "Just to do not let certain…things blind to you possible allies. If you are ever in need I will be at your side if you ever need aid."

"Is that different than accepting help from the League?" Elizabeth had to ask.

"Yes," Nyssa replied.

Elizabeth stood there, motionless before she nodded her head. "Very well. I'll keep that in mind," she commented, softly.

A flicker of something passed through Nyssa's eyes before it disappeared, and her face was impassive. "Then I shall take my leave," she said, dipped her head. "Take care, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth waited until Nyssa was out sight before she allowed her guard to drop ever so slightly, and she expelled a soft sigh while running her fingers through her hair. She had known that Ra's Al Ghul had let go too easy. He was called the Demon for a reason, and it wasn't for giving up. The leader of the League of Shadows had helped in her rescue, albeit silently. They had given Oliver information on Helena Cassidine's whereabouts, partially because she was heavily entangled with Malcolm Merlyn—ex-assassin for the League, and man partially responsible for the earthquake machine that claimed countless lives in Starling city.

But that wasn't Ra's Al Ghul's only reason. He had an interest in Elizabeth's future whether she allied with the League or not. And that just made things infinitely more complicated.

* * *

 **END OF CHAPTER!**

 **Thank you all so much! I'm glad you like it!**

 **RRs are appreciated! Thank you all so much! :D**


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I own nothing from General Hospital, DC Comics, Marvel Comics, or Arrow. I own nothing from any of these shows, this is for amusement purposes only.

Summary: Elizabeth Webber is in search of justice for her son, and to right past wrongs. Yet danger stalks her steps, and old enemies never know when to stay gone.

I want to thank, Ember1313, NaxieFan48, McCarthy, mif456, Bryantk82, brae76, trini12180, Bettyboop48748, lilnudger82, CCBTH, Doreen769, Spiritkit, rockrose, jayblair77731, QUEENADDEK, retired lady, arcoiris0502, starlight guardian, Wonderwomom, ImLuvinMyThesaurus, Meghie03, SlytherinQueen020, chriswrites99, CandyHearts22, Godricsgrl89, blondinkris, notenoughlove, Twisted Musalih, mraymond73, KIRRAA, lrobinson01, Lovelogan1, RobJas, jaime103, jaime1024 for the favs.

I want to thank, Ember1313, NaxieFan48, kceke2pen, leeleelay5, mif456, Bryantk82, Wonderwomom, brae76, fun days, narnia365, ravenb, trini12180, Bettyboop48748, TheChicaChic, lilnudger82, Twisted Musalih, Bqj, SoapOperaEMpress, arcoiris0502, bookfreak25, CCBTH, Doreen769, Spiritkit, aphass, rockrose, jayblair7731, lrobinson01, QUEENADDEK, retired lady, Liasonisthebomb, Princessdiana516, sherimi, SlytherinQueen020, chriswrites99, Gemini18, CandyHearts22, Godricgrl89, blondinkris, rosyronni, notenoughlove, Byland, Sancta, SPEEDIE22, Palindrome062, KristinaDEllis, mraymond73, KIRRAA, Jaylee1923, pwrmom2, phillymom65, RobJas, jaime103, ABCSOAPFAN1963, jaime1024 for the follows.

And I want to give a special thanks to, fundays, leeleelayla5, Guest 1, Liasonfan75, trini12180, arcoiris0502, Guest 2, Guest 3, Spiritkit, lrobinson01, Sarah, CCBTH, Pwrmom2, chicki'62, ABCSOAPFAN1963, Guest 4, leasmom,for the reviews.

Thank you all, you are truly wonderful.

Guest Reviews:

Guest 1: Glad that you loved it!

Guest 2: Carly might be able to change. Dante possibly will, but he have to lose his Spencer glasses. Thanks for the review!

Guest 3: Glad you like the twist and turns, there is plenty to come.

Sarah: Glad you liked the update! Jason is going to get together, but he has a lot to come to grips with. :D

Pwrmom2: Aw, I'm happy you love the story! I hope you will continue to like it.

Chicki'62: Better late to a party than never, right? Don't worry I forgive you, lol. Happy that you enjoy it!

Guest 4: I'm glad that you like Liason and the Arrow! It means I'm not the only one! He has been a jerk to Liz, but only because the writers never write for the characters instead a small fanbase that will eventually get GH cancelled. Yep, the bad guys won't win. :D

Leasmom: Here's the update! Put down the pitchforks, now, please? lol

Songs this chapter is inspired:

"Flaw" by Bastille

* * *

 **CHAPTER SIX**

" **Going Forward"**

The lights glared of the white tarp that covered the floors in preparation for the walls to be painted in the next few days, and Elizabeth walked into the club, setting her purse down on the bar where Felicity sat on her computer. "I had an encounter with Nyssa," she announced, without preamble.

Felicity's finger halted on the keyboard, and she looked up at Elizabeth over the rim of her glasses. "No one ended up dead, I hope?" She asked, after a second's hesitation.

"No, not this time," she sighed, heavily. She plopped down on the seat next to Felicity, and dragged the book with the fabric and paint samples towards her. She flipped it open with a feigned idleness, and looked dispassionately at the colors, not really seeing them. "She wanted me to know that Ra's is still insisting that I join the League, and I'm afraid that it's going to come down to a fight eventually. She also said she'd be there if I needed help, no assassin strings attached."

"It could have been worse," Felicity offered, consolingly.

"I suppose it could have been," Elizabeth nodded, the corner of her mouth ticked upward. "Anything happen to you?"

"Your brother tracked you down to the hotel room. He was jerk, too," Felicity said, her nose wrinkled in distaste. She hated dealing with rude people. Now that she was Oliver's secretary, she had to bite her tongue around a lot of assholes who thought the only reason she had the job was because she slept her way up for it. She also had to deal with Isobel, and Felicity really wanted to scratch that woman's eyes out. She had dealt with enough rudeness in Star City, so a part of her relished in shutting the door in Steven's face. "Tell me, does he always act this high and mighty or only when it involves his baby sister?"

"Steve is usually laid back person, but he feels like he is entitled to run my life. Well, that's how it feels at times," Elizabeth said, her jaw ticked. "I won't pretend that I have made stellar life choices. God knows I haven't, but that doesn't mean I need big brother staring over my shoulder and telling me who and who I can't have in my life."

"You know when I was younger I always wanted siblings," Felicity stated, with an eyebrow arched. "But after hearing about you and Thea's experiences with overprotective and pushy older brothers, I think I really lucked out."

Elizabeth gave a huff of amusement. "That is quite possibly true."

Felicity eyes widened, and she swirled around in the chair to face Elizabeth. "Oh! That's not the only thing that happened. Where is my head today?" She reached up, touching her chin as if checking to make sure her head was still there than shook it side to side to clear her thoughts. "I blocked Spinelli's attempts to dig into what happened to you, and have stonewalled him so far. I have set precautions against any future attacks, and hopefully that will hold him back. But you…might want to confront them over this. Just in case," the blond said, offering the small bit of advice, but not sure how it would be taken. "Also, someone was trying to alter hospital records concerning…your son."

Elizabeth stiffened, and her head jerked up. "What do you mean?" She asked, her tone turned frosty. Her expression shuttered, and her spine went ramrod straight.

"Someone…has tried to alter the paternity results in the database. I don't know if they tried anything with the paper copy, but I fixed what they did," Felicity told her, with a slight wince.

Elizabeth worked her jaw up and down. "Can you get me video footage from the hospital?" She asked, grimly.

"Someone erased," Felicity said.

"Spinelli?" Elizabeth guessed, eyes narrowed.

"No. A hacker's pattern is like a fingerprint, and given my recent familiarity with the Jackal, I'd know if it was him. Whoever did this was exceedingly sloppy," Felicity commented, arms folded across her chest. "The video is there, but fragmented. It will take me a little while, but I should be able to put it back together."

"Good. If it who I suspect it is then we'll be sending it to the proper authorities, one who will actually get stuff done. Just one quick question…if the person could erase video footage, why didn't they just alter the computer records, too? Why go inside the hospital to do it?" Elizabeth asked, with her head tilted to the side. She has suspected that a few people would take reckless action against her, especially with certain dominos falling down around them.

"The security system is hooked up to the same system as the public wifi, and the wifi grants an easy access for a hacker to sneak into. The hospital files are more secure. The computers that they are filed into can't hook up to wifi without an outside device providing a connection. Whoever it was must have snuck into the hospital, and used a device—most likely a flash drive—to create a backdoor for the hacker to get into," Felicity explained the process in lame man's terms. "Before you came back to Port Charles, I flagged every file that is connected to you and your family as a precaution."

"And the hacker got into the file, it sent up a red flag?" Elizabeth said, biting on her lower lip.

"Yep!" Felicity said, emphasizing the last syllable. "It's odd though. I mean, most people I know that do underhand stuff try to attack the source. Not their romantic connections. Why are people so desperate to severe any tie you have to Jason Morgan?"

"Oh, God, surely you don't want to know about that?" Elizabeth said, with a wince.

Felicity paused. "If you don't want to talk about it then…"

"It's not that. It's just…my romantic life should be used as a cautionary tale. It's messy, and tangled, and honestly, you have no idea of how many mistakes I have made when it comes to the men of my life," Elizabeth said, with arms crossed over her chest. She racked her brain to find the best starting point for how to example the animosity between her and the other women in Jason's life. "Carly Jax hates my relationship with Jason because she feels that all those years ago I stole her chance to be with him. She hurt him, and he didn't forgive her so easily and she believes that was my fault. So ever since then she's had to constantly make him put her before me in every situation to validate her place in his life.

"There more to it than that, but that's the core of it. Carly also harps on me for breaking Jason's heart, never taking into the fact that I also got hurt. I know I'm not blameless in the mess that I made with Jason, but he's not a helpless victim, either," Elizabeth commented, with a deep frown. "Of course, Carly never looks that far beyond herself because that would mean having to remove her head from Jason's ass for more than a moment."

Felicity choked on a laugh, and pressed her fingers over her mouth. She knew that Elizabeth had bite, but she never heard her use it such a way before. It was rather amusing, and the fact it was true just made it even funnier.

"What? It's true." Elizabeth gave a light shrug. "As for Sam…well, it really all started back in 2006. Lucky was having an affair with Maxie Jones who supplying him with pills, and Jason pushed Sam away because of the danger. One night—when a huge blackout occurred—I found Lucky with Maxie, and Jason found Sam with Ric."

"Wait. I thought Ric was her stepfather?" Felicity asked, with a blink.

"He was," Elizabeth said.

"Oh, wow."

"Anyways, I felt my marriage was over. I knew if I went to Emily and Nic, they'd pressure me to get back with Lucky. I knew I couldn't go to Luke because he'd do the same thing. So I went to Jason," she whispered out, remember finding him there at the penthouse. They both had been hurting so bad, and despite what people said, they didn't intend to sleep together. Old feelings had stirred up as they talked, and found comfort in each other as much as they did a bottle of tequila. "He always had my back. Always pushed me to do what was best for me and Cameron. I knew he'd be there for without reservations. We didn't…we didn't intend of sleeping together, but it happened. There has always been this…connection between him and I. That night we stopped fighting it."

"And you ended up pregnant after that?" Felicity asked, lightly.

"Yes. I mean, we used condoms, but they were defective. I wasn't on birth control because Lucky and I were trying for a child, so it was just a perfect storm," Elizabeth admitted, a tad sheepishly. "I handled the fallout of that horrible. After I found the baby was Jason, the way he acted and the way other acted…I just felt like I was ruining his life. That if I told him the truth that I would be ruining his happiness with Sam. Not to mention, Lucky put all his hopes on the baby, and I was afraid of what people would think of me if they knew. So I lied, to protect Jason, Lucky, but also to protect myself from being hurt, too."

"How does Sam fit into the equation?" Felicity questioned, with a confused little frown. "I mean, I get the woman scorned to a point, but she wasn't exactly spotless herself. She slept with her stepdad."

"You'll never hear her admit to her part in that mess, but as for why Sam hates me is because I had a child with Jason, and that even though we haven't been in each other's' orbits, that we will always care for one another whether that's as friend or something more," Elizabeth sighed, rolling her shoulders lightly to get her back to pop in a satisfying way. "During the time that I was pregnant and had Jake, Sam found that bullet wound that she had gotten from the dangers in Jason's world made it to where she couldn't have children. She used that to vindicate herself and justify the choices she made in watching Jake get kidnapped, to hiring gunmen, to having an affair with Lucky. I'm not a saint, and I will never pretend to be one. Sam, however, believes she is and likes to play the blame game, and to absolve herself of any guilt."

"You really hate her, don't you?" Felicity said, slowly. She found Elizabeth a kind, compassionate person, and she knew the woman had a steely edge to step up and try to right the wrongs here as the Ebony Arrow. She, however, had never heard her speak with such pure and utter loathing for another person before.

"Yes, I do hate Sam," Elizabeth replied, not denying the charge. She had spent years fighting back the rage that boiled in her gut when it came to Sam. She spent years trusting Jason and Lucky's judgment of the other woman, only to find her connection to the Russians that kidnapped Jake the second time. It only made her realize that Sam was perfectly nice, only when she got her way. Elizabeth knew that eventually she would have to deal with Sam, once and for all. "She wanted my son dead. When he was kidnapped as a baby, she had the gall to come up to me and tell me that we were even because we both lost a child. She wanted my son dead, and now he is. I can't reconcile that in my head, and I shouldn't have to."

Felicity bit the inside of her cheek, looking at Elizabeth worriedly. "Elizabeth, I'm sorry to pry about that," she apologized, her tone gentle. She could see the pain, anger, and sorrow in the other woman's eyes. "I can see that it's a wound that still hurts you, and I'm sorry for poking at it."

"Actually? It's kind of a relief to actually say it all out loud. Maybe now that I've done that, it won't be constantly rattling around inside my head," Elizabeth said with a small smile. She turned towards the fabric and paint samples with renewed purpose. "By what time do we need to make a decision on all this?"

"By next week," Felicity replied, without falter. "That way they can order everything, and have it delivered here so the project can finally get underway."

"Hmm. Call Kristina Davis," Elizabeth said, absentmindedly sorting through the swaths of fabric and placing them against the painting samples. "Offer her a job."

"Um…" Felicity gave a frown, turning toward her computer. She pulled up the applications, and searched through them. "But she hasn't turned in an application."

"I know," Elizabeth nodded.

"Then wouldn't it be kind of weird if she gets a phone call telling her she has a job that she didn't apply for?" Felicity commented, her head tilted to the side and her eyebrows rose upward.

Elizabeth smiled slightly. "Just tell her she was recommended. If she has any more questions, I'll deal with them," she said, tunneling her fingers through her hair. She then glanced up at Felicity's confused expression, and added with a slight sigh, "She was the girl that I saved in the alleyway."

"Oh. _Oh,_ " Felicity said, understanding flashed through her eyes. She reached up and fixed her glasses which had slid down to the tip of her nose. She sat the small stack of applications down on the counter, and turned towards Elizabeth. "You want to help her get back onto her feet."

"After my assault, something I desperately needed was structure and the ability to take back control. Kristina is going to need that, and a job might be a good place to start," Elizabeth explained, carefully. She ran her fingers off grayish blue paint to the light fabrics with a dark flower like patterns all over it. "I say that we do this fabric for the curtains. It's light like silk so it won't be overwhelming, and compliments that paint along with mirrors and metal fixtures."

"I'll let the decorators know," Felicity said, taking the fabric swath and paint sample from Elizabeth. She set them down on top of the stack of manila folders beside her computer. "Quick question…I have been wondering about something. Why take over Crimson? Why rebuild Club 21? Isn't that just…going to tick off certain people even more? You know people who don't like you very much?"

Elizabeth frowned, cocking her head to the side. "Crimson was just a good investment. I wouldn't have fired Maxie if I thought we could co-exist because honestly, Maxie is on the lower end of my worries. I just didn't think she could work professionally with me and her job performance has been lackluster, and I felt that it was for the best to just send her on her way. As for this club…" Elizabeth stepped down into the floor, and crossed her arms over her chest. She looked around at the familiar walls, and sighed deeply. "As fun as it will be to get underneath Carly's skin, this isn't about payback. When I think about when my life started to fall apart, I think of certain people and places. This is one of the places that came to mind.

"It wasn't that the memories I made here were particularly bad, but more like it was the starting point of my downward spiral, you know? I had walked out on Jason only a couple of months before and it felt like Sonny and Jason were replacing me with Courtney. It was the first time that reality slapped me in the face when I saw them together," Elizabeth said, closing her eyes slowly. She remembered how it felt like a sucker punch to see them all together. Never had Carly or Sonny accepted her like that, and Jason had so easily moved onto Courtney like Elizabeth hadn't even matter. "It's what drove me to the big mistake that was Ric. I was so desperate to be accepted that when Carly had me thrown out of here, and Ric didn't even fight for me that I bought his excuse about not wanting to jeopardize his job.

"Truth was that Ric just wanted to date because he knew it would raise Jason and Sonny's hackles. He may have come to care, but it was never love. I wish I had woken up to the nightmare sooner," Elizabeth said, softly. Her expression filled with sorrow as she turned around to face Felicity. "I just feel if I can change this place, and turn all the painful parts of my life into something better, it would be worth it. I know it won't change the past, and I'm not trying to. I'm trying to make peace with it so that no one can use it against me, and the best place to start from is at the beginning. Or so I am told."

Felicity gave her a sad smile. "No one can blame you for wanting to do that," the tech girl said, quietly. Felicity understood that more than Elizabeth could imagine. Her past wasn't exactly spotless as her bubbly blond so neatly put together persona would imply. "We all have a past that we would like to somehow make peace with."

Elizabeth searched the blonde's face, seeing too much and too little in the same moment. She knew Felicity was holding a lot back, but she never pushed. She had a feeling given time Felicity would open up to her or Oliver about her past. "Well, I'm sorry to barge in here only to have to practically run away, but I have an early morning. I'd like to get what I need to get done so I'm able to catch a few hours of sleep," Elizabeth said, with a lopsided smile.

"Oh, no worried. I will be just working on the video, and a few things Oliver wants me to look into. I have coffee brewing, and a box of Krispy Kreme to keep me company so we are all good on the home front," Felicity said, giving her two thumbs up. "Don't forget your appointment for you-know-who. I had to work hard to get them to allow that visitation!" Felicity called out, as the brunette headed towards the exit.

Elizabeth flashed a quick smile over her shoulder. "Oh, believe me I won't."

* * *

Jason pinched the bridge of his nose, and let out a deep breath. He needed a moment to compose himself because if he didn't he feared he would vent his frustrations out of Spinelli when he really wasn't the target of them. "What…do you mean you could find nothing?" He said, his tone slow and measured.

"I tried to up pull footage of the Maternal to track her moments over the last few months, running it through every database that I could. But when I finally got close to tracking something…my systems shut down," Spinelli related, sulkily.

"What do you mean your systems shut down? How?" Jason demanded.

"I…was out hacked. Whoever is working behind the other end of the computer screen is far more advanced and craftier than I, Stone Cold," Spinelli admitted, torn between admiration and frustration. "They led on a merrily little trail over the hill and through the woods right into a black hole of my creation."

"So then we have no way of getting answers," said Jason, tiredly. He had hoped that the answers would give him insight into this new Elizabeth that had emerged back in Port Charles.

"Well, not from me," Spinelli said, with a wince. "I mean, I will continue my search, but I fear that whoever is protecting the Maternal One's interest won't let us get any answers."

Jason opened his mouth when his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, and flipped it open to see a text message. It was from Sam sending him her love, and a hard knot coiled in his stomach. "Actually, Spinelli, there is something else you can do for me," he said, slowly. "You remember that contiguous plan when had for Sam? Just in case?"

Spinelli froze, eyes going wide. "Yes, but why would you need it?"

"Some things have come to light, and I have a feeling that we are going to need it. I didn't think so for all these years, but…maybe I was just ignoring it. Maybe I ignored it because Sam was convenient and I didn't want to be alone," Jason admitted, a sick feeling spreading out across his chest. His blue eyes were filled with self-loathing and pain. "But I can't ignore it anymore. If Sam is guilt of what I believe she is, then she is going to have to be dealt with. I know you care for Sam, but—"

"If the Goddess has done something reprehensible like she did when watching Jake kidnapped, and hired those gunmen again, then it wasn't a moment of weakness. It's a pattern, and if she is going to hurt innocent people then I'll help stop her," Spinelli stated, very seriously. Sam may be his friend, but if she crossed that line she swore never to cross again, then their friendship was null and void. "If she is innocent, we'll figure out who was trying to frame her."

Jason didn't have the heart to tell Spinelli that he didn't really believe there was a chance for Sam's innocent. "Yeah, we will," he agreed, quietly.

* * *

The next morning, Johnny Zacharra didn't know why he was being led into the visitation room. Last he had known was that he had been barred from having any visitors at all. Rubbing a thumb across his split lip, he wondered if it had something to do with his father. The man had practically thrown Johnny to the wolves after it being discovered that he wasn't Anthony's son after all, but his grandson. The old man ranted and raved at being tricked, demanding to know where his real son was, and cursed Johnny for being a whore's spawn. Johnny stiffened when the guards proceeded to exit the room, and his stomach rolled uncomfortably. Handcuffed to the table, he was helpless and this had all the signs of being a hit.

Then the door opened, and a familiar woman stepped through. He didn't know her personally, but he knew of her. After all, involved with the people she had been involved with, he couldn't have missed her in Port Charles. "Elizabeth Webber," Johnny said, his face twisted in confusion. "Morgan's nurse girlfriend."

Elizabeth's expression pinched at the expression. "Not his nurse, or his girlfriend," she stated, frostily. She took the seat on the other side of the table. "How is prison life treating you, Johnny? Judging from that black eye, and busted lip, not too well."

"I hold my own, not that it is any of your concern," Johnny countered, his eyes narrowed. He was trying to figure out the game here. Why was she here of all people? Was Morgan's hand in this? He immediately dismissed the thought. If it had been Jason's hand in this, it would be that floozy named McKinn or McCain or whatever her name was. "Also I wasn't aware we were close enough to be on first name bases."

"I could call you Mr. Zacharra, but I figured that would bring unpleasant memories of your fa—sorry, your grandfather," Elizabeth said, with the same note of callousness he used.

Johnny almost smirked. Clearly, she wasn't going to pulling any punches. He was impressed. The sweet little nurse didn't seem capable of being so sharp with her tongue, but he guessed the old saying, "don't judge a book" applied here. "What can I do for you, Miss Webber?" He asked, with his head cocked to the side curiously.

"I want the mob out of my city,"

Johnny laughed in her face. "You can't completely get rid of the mob, Elizabeth," he told her, with a blunt and frank honesty. "You take out the head, another little cockroach comes a crawling. You'll only delay everything going back to the way it was.

"I'm fully aware of how these things work. That's why you to get me in touch with someone," Elizabeth offered, her expression giving nothing away of her thoughts. "And if you do, and keep your mouth quiet about my involvement, I'll get you out your cell."

"A hospital nurse is going to be pull strings to get me out?" Johnny scoffed in disbelief.

"You'd be surprised how many strings I have to pull, Mr. Zacharra," Elizabeth said, the edge of her mouth tilted upward with a smirk. "And just how far my reach extends. The strings are the reason that I know that the only reason that Sonny's little payoffs to certain prisoners haven't gotten you killed yet is because Lorenzo Alcazar has you protected."

Johnny's smile fell.

"And why wouldn't he?" Elizabeth's smirk broadened into a sharp smile. "After all, you are his son."

* * *

 **END OF CHAPTER! Hope you enjoyed! I know I'm evil for the cliffhanger.**

 **RRs are appreciated. :D**


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